Six soldiers killed, 54 wounded in PKK attacks in Turkey’s southeast

DİYARBAKIR

DHA photo

Six soldiers were killed and 56 others were wounded in individual attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and in clashes between security forces and the militants in the southeastern provinces of Şırnak, Hakkari,Diyarbakır and Mardin on April 11 and 12.

The Turkish General Staff announced that one soldier was killed due to an unknown explosion during clashes with PKK militants in the Dağlıca district of Hakkari, while four soldiers were wounded. One of the injured soldiers is reported to be in a critical condition, according to the statement.

Additionally, one soldier was killed during clashes with PKK militants in Şırnak, while three others were wounded.

Reports of a third attack emerged late April 12 when two soldiers were killed and two others were wounded in an explosion in southeastern Mardin’s Nusaybin district. 

Meanwhile, two soldiers were killed and 47 were wounded, including civilians, late April 11 in a PKK bomb attack in the Hani district of Diyarbakır.

PKK militants detonated a bomb-laden tanker in front of the Hani Gendarmerie Post, after which an armed clash erupted between security forces and PKK militants.

The relatives of gendarmerie personnel in the lodgings were among the wounded, the General Staff said in a statement.

The wounded were first taken to Hani State Hospital and later transferred to the Diyarbakır Military Hospital by helicopter and ambulance. 

A significant portion of the military post collapsed due to the attack while other buildings nearby were also damaged as search and rescue efforts in the buildings continued.

The Hani Criminal Court of Peace ordered a broadcast ban until the completion of the investigation following the attack.