Teenager killed in PKK mine attack in eastern Turkey

By Sirac Karadeniz

HAKKARI, Turkey

A teenager succumbed to his wounds on Saturday following a land mine attack by PKK terrorists in eastern Turkey’s Hakkari province, according to a hospital source.

The mine exploded when Yunus Kaplan, 18, and his cousin Ferhat Kaplan, 18, went to a pasture area along with their horse in Semdinli district.

The explosion left Yunus Kaplan dead while Ferhat Kaplan is under treatment at the Semdinli State Hospital, the source, who wished to stay anonymous due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Separately, the dead bodies of Omer and Musa Mazlum were found in a rural area of Diyarbakir’s Hazro district by the gendarmerie, according to residents of the area.

The father and son had been kidnapped on Friday evening by PKK terrorists.

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

Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including a number of women and children.