Turkey: Child killed by PKK device

By Mehmet Salih Bastug, Suleyman Umut Gurhan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

A 4-year-old child injured by a homemade explosive device in southeastern Turkey has died in hospital.

Hidayet Tek was hurt on Wednesday when an improvised explosive device left by the terrorist organization PKK in Diyarbakir’s Idil province went off. Tek died in Diyarbakir State Hospital on Thursday.

A source, speaking on condition of anonymity because of restrictions on speaking to the media, said local families had returned to their homes following a counter-terrorism operation in the area.

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.

Since then more than 350 security force members have been martyred and thousands of PKK terrorists killed in counter-terrorism operations.

Hatice Vildan Topaloglu contributed to this story from Ankara.