Soldiers wounded in PKK bomb attack in eastern Turkey

ISTANBUL

Turkish Armed Forces photo

Six soldiers were wounded today in Van when their military vehicle was hit by a remote-controlled bomb as they were heading to an area that was recently hit by a landmine placed on a railway by suspected members of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK).

The first blast occurred at around 2.30 p.m. on a railway between the Keçikayası and Çaybağı villages in the eastern province's Saray district, causing a freight train to derail. The crew of the train was not injured, but four wagons were damaged in the blast.

The militants remotely detonated the second bomb 500 meters away from the site of the first blast as the military vehicle was coming to investigate the scene.

One solider with heavy injures were reportedly taken to Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Hospital with a helicopter, while the other wounded soldiers were rushed to Van Military Hospital.

An operation has been launched to apprehend the militants.

Meanwhile, state official Ubeydullah Sancar, who was kidnapped by three PKK militants from his house in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Aug. 17, has reportedly been released. Sancar was reported to be in good condition, reports said.