ISTANBUL (AP) — A vehicle laden with explosives hit an army outpost in southeastern Turkey on Saturday, killing three people, according to a statement published by the governor’s office.
The Mardin province governor’s office said two soldiers and a civilian woman were killed in the Saturday attack in the town of Cevizlik. The statement also stated seven people were injured, including three people who are in critical condition. The attack took place at 12:45 at a military outpost.
The statement blamed “the separatist terror organization” for the attack, a description used by Turkey for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the PKK. It said security forces have begun operations to apprehend the attackers.
Clashes between Turkey and Kurdish militants resumed nearly a year ago after a tenuous cease-fire between Turkey and the PKK collapsed. Airstrikes regularly target PKK positions in Turkey and northern Iraq, while fighting and curfews continue in several southeastern towns.
In a daily activities statement published on its website, the Turkish Army said it “neutralized 17 separatist terror organization members” in the city of Hakkari and two militants in the city of Van on Friday.
The renewed conflict between the two sides has led to the death of nearly 600 security personnel and more than 5,000 Kurdish militants, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency. An unknown number of civilians have also been killed and thousands displaced.
Turkey, the U.S. and the EU consider PKK a terrorist organization.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.