Soldier succumbs to wounds in Turkish hospital

By Serdar Acil, Halil Ibrahim Sincar

MARDIN, Turkey

A Turkish soldier seriously injured during an anti-terrorist operation against the PKK in southeastern Turkey has succummed to his injuries on Wednesday, an unnamed hospital source said.

The soldier was shot during an operation in Mardin province’s Nusaybin town Wednesday morning and was being treated at Nusaybin State Hospital, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Turkey’s southeast has been the scene of significant military operations since Dec. 2015 as the police and army seek to clear the terrorist organization from urban areas.

The counter-terrorism operation in Nusaybin has been ongoing since March 14.

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 late July 2015.

Since then, more than 450 Turkish security personnel have been martyred and over 4,500 PKK terrorists killed.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Hale Turkes contributed to this story from Ankara.