RADIKAL, HURRIYET, DOGAN NEWS AGENCY (Turkey)
Ten Turkish soldiers were killed and seven were injured in an attack by Kurdish rebels, which took place in the southeastern province of Sirnak, Turkish officials have said.
Clashes between Turkish military forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) broke out on Sunday evening at a military base in the province’s Beytussebap district, close to the border with Iraq and Syria, daily Radikal reported.
The PKK attacked the military with rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) and assault rifles, according to Hurriyet. Nine soldiers died immediately during the attack and another died later in hospital. Seven soldiers have been injured with four in critical condition at the local Sirnak hospital.
Rebels also carried out simultaneous attacks at other military checkpoints on Sunday, but no lives were claimed, according to the Dogan News Agency. Twenty PKK militants were also killed in the attacks.
On Monday, members of the PKK also kidnapped a Justice and Development Party (AKP) provincial head, said Hurriyet. Mecit Tarhan, a lawyer had been the head of the AKP for the Hakkari region for the past two years. He had been reportedly receiving threats from the PKK.
Terrorist activity has increased in the region due to the heightened unrest in Syria. A month ago, the PKK fired rockets across the Turkish army border in the Hakkari province. A recent bombing in the southeastern city of Gaziantep, which left nine dead, was also thought to have been conducted by the PKK, but the organization denies any involvement.
Turkey, the United States and the E.U recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization.
