Three soldiers martyred in southeast Turkey
Clashes in Hakkari province continue, Turkish army says
Three soldiers were martyred Saturday in clashes with members of the PKK terrorist organization in Hakkari province, in the southeastern corner of Turkey, the Turkish General Staff said.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, the army said that six soldiers were wounded -- including one in critical condition -- in the clashes that took place during a security operation against the PKK in Daglica village of Yuksekova district.
17 terrorists -- referring to PKK members -- were killed in the operations, the statement said.
Clashes continue, it added.
The Turkish army’s operations against PKK “will not stop, (they) will continue,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the reporters in Cyprus late Saturday.
Erdogan said that the operations would continue “until we establish peace and tranquility in this struggle within our country”.
During an election rally in central Kayseri province Saturday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, without naming any names, that “Those who do not want Turkey to grow and to become a powerful country are pushing the terrorism button."
The PKK -- designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- renewed its armed campaign against the Turkish state this summer.
Since July, more than 150 members of security forces have been martyred while, according to the government, more than 2,000 PKK terrorists have been killed.
On Sept. 6, sixteen Turkish soldiers were martyred by roadside bombs followed by clashes with PKK terrorists in Daglica, Hakkari province, in the deadliest incident in the latest round of violence.
In the wake of the Ankara twin bomb blasts that left 102 dead on Oct. 10, Turkish media reported that the PKK terror organization had declared a unilateral ceasefire, vowing not to attack Turkish security forces until Nov. 1 when Turkey is scheduled to hold early general elections.
