One police officer killed in PKK attack in Turkey’s southeast

ŞIRNAK – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

One police officer was killed on May 11 during clashes with outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in the southeastern province of Şırnak.

Clashes erupted between Turkish security forces and PKK militants in the Bahçelievler neighborhood. Special operations police officer Ersan Gürpınar was killed in the clashes.

Meanwhile, the Turkish General Staff announced that four PKK militants were killed in operations in Şırnak on May 11.

The total number of PKK militants killed in operations has reached 335, according to the statement issued on the Turkish General Staff’s website.

It also added 12 hand-made explosives were destroyed, increasing the number of explosives destroyed in the province to 927.

Security forces have been conducting operations in locations across Şırnak since March 14 after curfews were imposed on a number of neighborhoods.

As part of the operations, 85 percent of the trenches and barricades set up by PKK militants in central Şırnak have reportedly been cleared so far.