Turkey: 17 Killed, 27 Injured In Car Bomb In South-East Province
Nine soldiers and eight civilians were killed in a car bombing in the south-east Turkish province of Hakkari, CNN Turk reported on Sunday, citing the provincial governor.
Twenty-seven people were injured in the attack when the car bomb exploded in front of a checkpoint belonging to the Turkish gendarmerie in the district of Semdinli.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Turkish army pointed the finger directly at the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The Turkish army launched an offensive against the PKK last summer after a two-year ceasefire collapsed.
The PKK and its splinter group the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) have since then carried out repeated attacks on the Turkish security forces.
The government has ruled out reviving peace negotiations, with Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus tweeting Sunday: “Turkey will never capitulate to terrorist organizations.”
He said the perpetrators of Sunday’s “abominable” attack would be called to account.
