PKK militants kidnap British tourist in Turkey

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

Suspected militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have kidnapped a British citizen in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, officials said yesterday.

“Security forces launched a land operation to rescue the person kidnapped, who is said to be a British citizen,” Diyarbakır Governor Mustafa Toprak told reporters yesterday.

A group of militants reportedly blocked the road between Diyarbakır and Bingöl on June 2. They stopped a bus and ordered the passengers to get out of the bus, before making propaganda in favor of the PKK.

After explaining the PKK’s goals to the travelers, they stopped more vehicles, which they then set on fire. According to eyewitnesses they then kidnapped a British tourist in his 30s, who was travelling from Diyarbakır to the Black Sea province of Trabzon. 

The militants left the scene together with the tourist, according to the eyewitnesses.

Sources from the British Embassy told the Hürriyet Daily News that they were aware of the reports about kidnapping of a British citizen. “We are investigating with relevant Turkish officials. Unfortunately, we can’t say more about this issue at this stage,” sources said yesterday.

On May 28 the PKK kidnapped 10 employees working on a road construction project in the eastern province of Iğdır.

The PKK is recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.