ANKARA (Sputnik) – One Turkish soldier died and two were lightly wounded, on Wednesday, in a fight with Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in southeastern Turkey, a statement released by the country’s general staff has confirmed.
“On September 2, at 7.05 a.m. [05:00 GMT] in the Semdinli District of the Hakkari Province, members of the [PKK] separatist terrorist organization fired long-barreled weapons at our military, who were providing safety on a highway,” the statement said.
Two F-16 fighter jets were sent to the area of the attack to conduct airstrikes on the militant positions following the incident, the general staff said, adding that the operation to counter the militants, involving drones and helicopters, continues.
13 August 2015, 14:36 GMT
Tensions in Turkey escalated in late July, when Turkey launched a military campaign against the PKK in northern Iraq after militants from the organization claimed responsibility for the murders of two Turkish police officers in the southern Turkish city of Ceylanpinar.
The PKK organization, based in Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan, was founded in the late 1970s with the aim of obtaining self-determination for the Kurdish community. The party is banned by the Turkish authorities.
