0
Sunday 16 September 2012 - 07:15

Four soldiers killed in roadside bomb blast in southeast Turkey

Story Code : 195858
Turkish soldiers patrol on a road in the southeastern province of Sirnak near the Iraqi border.
Turkish soldiers patrol on a road in the southeastern province of Sirnak near the Iraqi border.
The blast took place on Saturday afternoon when a military convoy was passing on the Hakkari-Cukurca highway, according to a statement released by Hakkari governor's office.

The statement added that five other soldiers were wounded in the mine blast.

Security forces have launched a large-scale investigation into the incident, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend the perpetrators.

Turkish authorities say army has killed more than 80 PKK members in Hakkari over the past week in a major operation involving air strikes and several thousands of ground troops.

A recent statement issued by the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces said that a total of 330 PKK militants were killed in 974 military operations from February to August.

PKK has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s. The conflict has left tens of thousands of people dead.
Comment