Soldier martyred in eastern Turkey anti-PKK operation

BINGOL, Turkey

A Turkish soldier was martyred during an ongoing operation against the PKK terrorist group in southeastern Diyarbakir province Wednesday, according to a military source.

The incident took place in the province’s Lice district, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

In addition, six PKK terrorists were killed Wednesday as part of an ongoing anti-terror operation in Lice district and in eastern Bingol province’s Genc district, Turkish military said in a statement.

The operation aims to destroy shelters, warehouses and anti-aircraft positions of the terror group. It is also gathering evidence of links between the PKK terror group and the people involved in the production and trade of drugs in the area, the statement said.

PKK's so-called regional leader was killed during the operation, which is carried out by Bingol's 49th Brigade Command teams in Genc district of eastern Bingol province, it added.

Security forces also seized six Kalashnikovs with 11 magazines, 120 cartridges, two M-16s, a machine gun, a sniper rifle, a hunting rifle, three pistols with two magazines, 10 signal flares, seven grenades, 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of ammonium nitrate, 431 kilograms (950 pounds) of marijuana and a vehicle with fake license plate number.

*Reporting by Abdullah Celik; Writing by Safvan Allahverdi