PKK militants preparing car bomb ‘neutralized’ in Turkey’s east

VAN/DİYARBAKIR

Security forces in Turkey’s east “neutralized” on Aug. 22 three outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants, who had been preparing for an attack, the Turkish Armed Forces has stated.

The military said the militants were “neutralized” during an operation backed by the Turkish Air Force in a rural area of the Gürpınar district of the eastern province of Van in the morning hours.

It added that two gun emplacements belonging to the militants were also destroyed in the airstrike.

Earlier, the Van Governor’s Office had stated that the trio had packed a vehicle with explosives on Aug. 21 in preparation for an attack. The device was neutralized by security forces on Aug. 22 along with two militants inside the car.

Meanwhile, two other PKK militants were “neutralized” in counter-terrorism operations in Kulp and Cermik, two separate districts in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, on the night of Aug. 20. 

The governor’s office said another suspect was captured.

Security forces also seized weapons and ammunition and destroyed two shelters and 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, an ingredient in bomb-making.

Separately, two soldiers were slightly injured on Aug. 22 in a PKK attack in the Yüksekova district of the southeastern province of Hakkari, the Hakkari Governor’s Office stated.

It said the militants detonated a hand-made explosive placed near the Çobanpınar village during the passage of a military vehicle.

Two military personnel were slightly injured in the attack and taken to hospital for treatment, the governor’s office said.