One police officer killed in mine blast in Mardin

MARDIN / ANKARA

A fire starts on the roof of a traffic registration bureau in the eastern province of Bitlis after PKK attacks the building. AA photo

One policeman was killed and three more were injured yesterday when a mine blast hit their police vehicle in Derik town of the the southeastern province of Mardin.

The officer who was killed in the attack was brought into hospital with critical injuries, earlier reports said. Mardin Gov. Turhan Ayvaz had told members of the press that they were planning to move him to a better equipped hospital.

Wounded officers are also currently undergoing treatment, with one still in critical condition. Investigations on the issue are continuing .

Military hits northern Iraq

Meanwhile, Turkish warplanes have carried out strikes on suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant targets in northern Iraq, Turkish Gen. staff said on its website on Sunday.

The general staff said on its website it had hit “nine targets belonging to the seperatist terrorist organisation” referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), on June 22-24. The jets safely returned to their bases in Turkey, it said.

The air strikes are the second since a PKK attack on an army post near the Iraqi border on Tuesday killed eight Turkish soldiers, and wounded another 19.

Local officials said around 20 PKK members were killed in the attack. Also, suspected members of the outlawed PKK attacked a traffic registration bureau in the eastern province of Bitlis on June 23 with long-range weaponry and rockets. Security officials responded by opening fire.A fire started on the roof of the building amid clashes.

Another attack was launched against a gendarmerie post in the eastern province of Tunceli yesterday, Doğan news agency reported.

On a separate development, fifteen alleged members of PKK and the outlawed Turkish Workers and Peasants’ Liberation Army (TİKKO) opened fire on watchtowers around the gendarmerie station in an attempt to enter. No casualties were reported in the attacks. Security forces responded with heavy fire, forcing the militants to flee.

A third attack took place in Tunceli’s Ovacık district at around 4 p.m on June 23. when PKK militants opened fire with long-range weapons and rockets on another gendarmerie post.

 Clashes erupted when security forces responded. Helicopters and special units were sent to the area immediately. No casualties were reported in any of the attacks. Operations are continuing in the areas in question.