ANKARA
The Turkish president has strongly condemned Monday the mine attack perpetrated by PKK terrorists, which have martyred 16 soldiers and wounded six others in the southeastern province of Hakkari.
"I strongly condemn the atrocious attack that caused the martyrdom and injuries of our soldiers in the Yuksekova district of Hakkari," said Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a statement early Monday.
The incident took place in the town of Daglica in the Yuksekova district Sunday evening, as two armed army vehicles were crossing. Security sources said there were several wounded and martyred soldiers.
The president did not give the exact numbers of martyred soldiers. Erdogan also conveyed his condolences to the families of soldiers.
"The pain of our security forces martyred in a malicious attack by a separatist terrorist organization offends [us]," said Erdogan.
He also added these attacks, which were “directed against national unity and brotherhood”, would never achieve their goals.
Meanwhile, releasing a statement early Monday, the Turkish General Staff said that during an operation launched after the attack, 13 PKK targets were bombed by two F-16 and two F-4 aircraft.
The statement said two armored vehicles of the general staff had been damaged.
"Despite the bad weather conditions, the operations will continue," it said.
France condemns PKK's deadly terrorist attack
France has condemned the terrorist PKK organization's terrorist attack that killed 16 Turkish soldiers in southeastern Turkey on Sunday.
A statement issued by French Foreign Ministry on Monday said: "France condemns the terrorist attack claimed by the PKK against military vehicles in the southeast of Turkey, which has left several casualties among soldiers on September 6.”
France’s statement came before the announcement of the death toll by the Turkish General Staff on Monday.
"We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and express our solidarity with the Turkish authorities," the statement added.
Meanwhile, Albanian and Montenegrin deputy parliament speakers, as well as the Serbian mufti and several Bosnian civil society groups have also condemned the attack.
On Sunday evening, explosives planted by PKK terrorists on a road in the southeastern Hakkari province killed 16 soldiers and wounded 6, the General Staff said.
The attack took place in the town of Daglica in Yuksekova district, as two armed vehicles belonging to Turkish soldiers were crossing.
The Turkish army earlier said that during an operation launched after the attack, 13 PKK targets were bombed by two F-16 and two F-4 aircraft.
