PKK, Turkish security forces clash in Turkey’s Muğla

MUĞLA

A clash between outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants and Turkish security forces occurred on Oct. 6 in an operation launched after five PKK militants were killed in the Aegean province of Muğla.

Turkish security forces had killed five PKK militants in Muğla’s Köyceğiz district in an operation a day before, on Oct. 5. Police and gendarmerie forces began the operation to capture two more PKK militants who were determined to be in the area.

A major was reported to be slightly injured from his leg during the clash. The military dispatched a helicopter to the area for the major’s treatment.

Meanwhile, 68 PKK militants were “neutralized” in counter-terrorism operations in Turkey between Sept. 28 and Oct. 4, the military said on Oct. 6.

In a written statement, the Turkish General Staff said 13 soldiers were also killed and 23 others were wounded during the operations.

The operations were carried out in the southeastern provinces of Şırnak’s Beytüşebap, Cizre and Silopi districts, Hakkari’s Yüksekova district, Siirt’s Baykan and Eruh districts, Diyarbakır’s Lice and some other districts.

During the operations, 68 militants had been “neutralized,” while 78 arms, including rifles and machine guns, 55 hand grenades, seven mines, 3,719 small arms ammunition, 45 magazines, 238 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, 400 kilograms of demolition blocks, two binoculars, five walkie-talkies and 79 tubes were seized.

In addition, 22 improvised explosives were destroyed in controlled detonations and 62 weapon emplacements, shelters, caves and depots used by the PKK were destroyed.

Operations were also being carried out against illegal trafficking and drugs, which are believed to be the PKK’s source of income. As a result, 301,121 packets of smuggled cigarettes and 100 liters of liquid fuel were seized.

During border patrols, 15,571 people were detained for trying to cross the border illegally.

Moreover, one Turkish soldier was injured in a gun battle after security forces carried out an air-backed operation against a PKK militant in Siirt, a military official said on Oct. 6.

The operation was conducted in the Eruh district, the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, told state-run Anadolu Agency.

The wounded soldier was taken to the Siirt State Hospital.

In Muğla, security forces seized scores of weapons and ammunition in the Köyceğiz district, a police official said.

The arms and ammunition included one Kalashnikov rifle with five magazines, two M-16 guns with 10 magazines, three pistols with three magazines, 21 hand grenades, five kilograms of explosives and four packages of 5.56 mm cartridges.