ANKARA (Sputnik) — An improvised explosive device, planted on the road by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), outlawed in Turkey, went off in the southeastern Hakkari province of the country, injuring 17 servicemen, according to the statement.
"Seventeen of our comrades were injured, with four of them severely wounded in the explosion of a homemade bomb, planted by a separatist terrorist organization (PKK), which blew up in the path of a military convoy on the road near the Esendere village of the Yuksekova district in the Hakkari province. The injured are hospitalized, the operation aimed at neutralizing those involved in the attack is being carried out at the scene," the statement, obtained by Sputnik, said.
The conflict between Turkey and Kurdish militant groups seeking independence escalated in July 2015, leading to frequent acts of terror by the PKK and regular anti-PKK operations by the Turkish government. Since the beginning of the escalation, over 900 servicemen and policemen, as well as more than 300 civilians. have been killed in PKK attacks. According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the security forces managed to neutralize over 10,000 PKK militants since July 2015.
