Three village guards, one civilian killed in PKK attack in Turkey’s Van

VAN / BİTLİS

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Three village guards and one civilian were killed on Nov. 9 in an attack by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Başkale district of the southeastern province of Van, Doğan News Agency has reported.
PKK militants used long-barreled weapons to rake a minibus carrying village guards returning from the Yavuzlar neighborhood near the Iranian border.

Village guards Hüsnü Keskin, Ekrem Keskin and Şahabettin Keskin were killed in the ambush, along with civilian Mehmet Demir, who was inside the minibus during the attack.

Meanwhile, another two village guards were wounded and transferred to the Başkale State Hospital for treatment.

Security forces have conducted an operation in the region to apprehend the PKK militants responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, security forces have destroyed a total of 500 kilograms of explosives strengthened with ammonium nitrate after finding them in a minibus, which was stolen by PKK militants. 

The militants loaded the minibus in the Beytüşşebap district of the southeastern province of Şırnak, Anadolu Agency reported on Nov. 9. 

Security forces received information that a minibus had been stolen in Şırnak and was seen abandoned in the Gürpınar district of Van. The gendarmerie forces destroyed the minibus after tracking and finding it.

“Necessary examinations were made in the vehicle upon the chief public prosecutor’s demand. It was determined that the vehicle was loaded with 500 kilograms of explosives strengthened with ammonium nitrate, and it was destroyed after necessary security precautions were taken,” a statement released from Van Governor’s Office read.

Meanwhile, a village head was found shot dead on Nov. 9 after he was abducted by PKK militants 45 days ago in the eastern province of Bitlis, Anadolu Agency reported.       

According to initial reports, Salih Güven, the chief of Boluklu village in the Hizan district, was abducted from his home on Sept. 25 by a group of PKK militants, and was found dead early on Nov. 9, the statement said.      
Güven’s body was found near Hizan upon a tipoff, and the body was later identified by Güven’s relatives in hospital, it added.      

An investigation has been launched into the incident.