2 killed, 7 injured in clash with PKK in Turkish province

A civilian and a lieutenant were killed and seven others were injured in a clash that was ongoing between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist organization and the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the Chukurca district of the eastern province of Hakkari when Today's Zaman went to print.

The clash erupted early on Monday between PKK terrorists and Turkish soldiers near the Kavushak village, located at the entrance to the Kazan Valley in Chukurca on the Iraqi border.

Reports so far indicated that Lt. Aykut Koroglu from Ankara and a civilian passing by have been killed, while six soldiers and another civilian, Keziya Chetinkaya have been injured. The soldier died at the scene while the civilian, Azize Chetin, died at the Hakkari State Hospital. The injured are being treated at the hospital.

Numerous military helicopters have carried soldiers to the scene as the clash is escalating. According to the latest information available at the time Today's Zaman went to print, six PKK terrorists had also been killed. An official statement had not yet been made on the loss of life.

In a related development, a PKK terrorist surrendered to the gendarmerie in the Şemdinli district of Hakkari on Monday. The terrorist was taken to Shemdinli's 34th Border Brigade Command for interrogation after a visit to the hospital for a medical exam.

Gendarmerie and special operations teams killed three PKK terrorists in another clash with the PKK that erupted in the Kemah district of the eastern province of Erzincan on Sunday.