Funerals for killed soldiers attended by thousands

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The soldiers killed in the bomb attack organized by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the southeastern province of Hakkari’s Şemdinli district were buried in their hometowns on Aug. 24. Specialist Sergeant İbrahim Yıldız, 25, was buried in Yozgat’s Yerköy district, while Commando Specialist Sergeant İsmail Zengin was buried in Balıkesir’s Savaştepe district. 

The body of Yıldız was brought to Yozgat’s İstasyon Square, where the funeral was then held. His coffin was wrapped with a Turkish flag. The soldier’s father and his brother stood up only with difficulty. 
Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Yozgat Governor Abdulkadir Yazıcı, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Yozgat deputies Ertuğrul Soysal and Yusuf Başer, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Sadir Durmaz, mayors, local governors, the soldier’s relatives and about five thousand other people from Yerköy attended Yıldız’s funeral. 

While Deputy Prime Minister Bozdağ and deputies were arriving at the funeral area, a group in the crowd began to shout slogans against the government. Bozdağ visited the deceased soldier’s family, “Our struggle will continue until terrorism is rooted out,” he said. 

Balıkesir Deputy Governor Nusret Şahin, the Balıkesir deputies from the AKP, CHP and MHP, the soldier’s family and about five thousand people attended the funeral held in Balıkesir’s Savaştepe district for Specialist Sergeant İsmail Zengin. Those attending the funeral chanted the slogan: “Martyrs don’t die, the nation isn’t divided.”