KILIS, Turkey
A Turkish non-commissioned officer has been killed and two sergeants wounded in gunfire coming from Syria in Turkey’s southern Kilis province, according to official sources.
Security forces came under fire from Syria, Kilis Governor Suleyman Tapsiz told Anadolu Agency on Thursday.
"Unfortunately, one of our non-commissioned officers [Yalcin Nane] has been martyred and two sergeants injured," Tapsiz said.
The wounded sergeants, Fatih Kurt and Necef Cakmaktepe, have been taken to Kilis State Hospital and are in stable condition, he added.
The Turkish General Staff confirmed the causalities in a written statement, which said five militants had opened fire on Turkish troops from a Daesh-controlled Syrian border region.
One Daesh militant was killed and three of the group's vehicles were heavily damaged, the statement added. It also extended condolences to the family of the deceased officer.
According to sources on the ground, a pickup truck carrying 10 heavily armed Daesh members opened fire on Turkish troops stationed at a mountain border outpost.
Turkish forces responded by targeting positions across the border. Sources added that one Daesh militant was killed, whose body was carried into the outpost yard.
A rocket-propelled grenade, an AK-47 rifle and ammunition have been found on the terrorist.
The pickup truck was also destroyed by tank fire.
Meanwhile, the security forces continued to fire at Daesh positions in Azaz town in northwestern Syria. Armored vehicles have been sent to the border region.
According to official sources, the clashes between security forces and Daesh was over Thursday evening.
Conveying his condolences on his official Twitter account, Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan said: "The two clashing terrorist organizations [Daesh and Kurdistan Workers' Party] target Turkey and perpetrated vicious attacks. Shame on those who did not condemn all kinds of terrorism."
The incident comes after the murder of two policemen on Wednesday -- for which the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility -- and a deadly suicide bombing in Suruc on Monday that killed 32 people. Both incidents took place in Turkey’s southeastern Sanliurfa province, near the Syrian border.
After a special security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Thursday evening, the prime ministry press office released a written statement, saying: "It was decided to maintain the precise implementation of all kinds of measures to ensure public order and national security."
Deputy Prime Ministers Bulent Arinc and Yalcin Akdogan, Interior Minsiter Sebahattin Ozturk, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Chief of General Staff Necdet Ozel and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan attended the meeting.
