Civilian killed in PKK attack in southeastern Turkey

By Haydar Toprakci and Ilhan Toprak

TUNCELI, Turkey

A civilian died Saturday in a vehicle explosion caused by PKK terrorists in southeastern Turkey's Tunceli province, the governor's office has confirmed.

Three people were in a car when it exploded in the Hozat district, the Tunceli governor's office said in a written statement.

One of them died in the explosion. Information on the other two occupants is still unclear, it said.

A counter-terrorism operation in the district resulted in a gunfight between security forces and the terrorist group.

A hearse as well as several municipal vehicles that were heading towards the scene were also attacked by PKK terrorists.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK terrorists were killed in army operations.​

In an airstrike Saturday, at least five terrorists were "neutralized" in Hakkari province's Yuksekova-Daglica rural area, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement.

On Friday, four more terrorists were "neutralized" in the Cukurca district of the province, the statement added.