Three soldiers killed in PKK attacks in Turkey’s southeast

HAKKARİ/ERZURUM

Three soldiers were killed in two separate attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants in the southeastern province of Hakkari and the eastern province of Erzurum on June 17.

PKK militants detonated a hand-made explosive placed on a field during the passing of security forces in the Güven Dağı region of Hakkari. Two soldiers were killed and another seven were wounded in the explosion.

Five PKK militants were also neutralized during the operation.

Earlier in the day, one soldier was killed during an armed clash with PKK militants in the rural of the Şenkaya district of Erzurum.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, the soldier was wounded during the clash but later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

It added that three PKK militants were killed in the operation.

Separately, two PKK militants were killed by a drone strike during a security operation in northern Iraq on June 17.  

According to a statement issued by the Turkish General Staff, Turkish security forces used drones to target PKK militants in the Nirva Seytu Mountain region.