PKK kills two soldiers, one village guard in Turkey’s east

SİİRT/VAN

Two soldiers and one village guard were killed in separate attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the eastern provinces of Siirt and Van on Sept. 1, as the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) carried out airstrikes against PKK militants in the Çukurca district of the southeastern province of Hakkari.

Specialized sergeant Halit Şıltak was killed and another soldier was wounded in an armed clash between Turkish security forces and PKK militants in the Pervari district of Siirt.

The clashes occurred as part of ongoing operations against the PKK in the rural areas near the village of Pervari. The wounded soldier was taken to Siirt Public Hospital by helicopter.

The militants launched another attack in the Çaldıran district of Van on the same day, killing one specialized sergeant and one village guard. Four village guards and three soldiers were wounded in the attack. 

An operation backed by aerial support was launched to apprehend the suspects involved. 

Meanwhile, Turkish jets carried out airstrikes against the PKK targets in rural Çukurca. 

Three PKK militants were killed and two weapon launching pits were destroyed in the airstrikes conducted early on Sept. 1. 

The air operation was launched after intelligence was received and evaluated, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.