Seven Turkish soldiers killed in PKK attack
Two others were wounded in the attack in the country’s southeast where Turkey has been battling the PKK for over three decades.
Since the 1970s, 40,000 lives have been lost as a result of Turkey's conflict with the PKK, a multi-billion dollar criminal network and terrorist organisation spanning Europe and the Middle East.
Seven Turkish soldiers were killed and two others wounded in a PKK terror attack on Thursday in Turkey’s southeastern Batman province, according to the local governorship.
In a statement, the Batman Governor’s Office said the terrorists detonated an improvised explosive planted in the road when an armoured military vehicle was passing through the rural area of Gercus district.
Initial reports said four soldiers were killed in the blast. Later, three soldiers succumbed to their wounds at the Batman Region State Hospital, said a health officer, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Two wounded soldiers are under treatment, the source added.
A wide scale operation has been launched in the area to nab those responsible.
In its more than 30-year armed campaign against Turkey, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU - has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including civilians.
Meanwhile in northern Iraq, Turkey "neutralised" ten PKK militants in an air strike, the Turkish army said on Thursday.
Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralised" in statements to imply the militants in question either surrendered, were killed or captured.
The air raid was carried out in Iraq's Avashin-Basyan and Zap regions, the Turkish Armed Forces said in a Twitter post.
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