12 Soldiers Killed in Hakkari Province
Soldiers attached to the 21st Border Gendarmerie Tactical Brigade Command fought with the PKK last night. Twelve soldiers are dead, 16 are injured, and more than ten are missing.
Battle near Iraqi border
A group of PKK fighters who had crossed the border from Northern Iraq shot at the Daglica infantry batallion in Yüksekova, a district in the province of Hakkari. Hakkari lies in the very south-east of Turkey and has borders with both Iraq and Iran.
In the attack, twelve soldiers were killed and 16 injured. The soldiers then proceeded to fire towards the PKK members, and fighting is continuing in the region. Units attached to the Hakkari Mountain Command Brigade have started an extensive operation.
According to news from the Reuters news agency, the PKK has claimed that 16 soldiers were killed and 20 wounded.
Army meetings
The General Staff and the Ground Forces Command have met for intensive evaluations of the event and there is a statement on the official website of the General Staff:
“On 21 October 2007, at 0O:20, members of the PKK terrorist organisation who had entered our territory from the north of Iraq carried out an armed attack on the safety zone of our Hakkari/Daglica infantry battalion. The PKK group was large and attacked from three directions."
"In the ensuing battle, there were 12 dead and 16 wounded."
"There was an immediate return of fire and the terrorists were shot at by armed helicopters and by a present stock of firing machines. Up to now, 23 terrorists have been neutralized. In addition, renewed contact has been made with the terrorists south of the battle site, and the battle continues."
"Maneuver units are following the terrorists escape routes. Coordinated with the units operation, 63 potential targets are being shot at with heavy artillery. The public will be informed of new developments.”
Erdogan criticises media
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an announcement, saying:
“Our anger is undoubtedly very great. I want to remind the media of this: The provocative interpretations on some TV channels sadden us. Let no one attempt to immediately find someone to blame. These days are days of unity and togetherness. These kinds of interpretations do not help our country. We will overcome these events calmly.”
A “Terrorism” summit has been scheduled for 8pm this evening. The summit will be attended by President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minster Erdogan and the Chief of Staff Yasar Büyükanit who is cutting short a trip in Italy.
"Whatever needs to be done will be done"
Erdogan said, “We will have an extensive meeting and decide at the end of our deliberations what to do. I personally expect the visual media to approach the issue much calmer and with common sense. Of course our Parliament has given us permission for cross-border operation s at this time. Whatever needs to be done will be done.”
According to the Hürriyet news website, the soldiers called on the PKK fighters to stop, but the PKK responded with gun fire. It has also been said that the PKK blew up the Havasin Bridge and used missiles. The NTV channel said that a convoy of 12 military vehicles was driving across the Havasin stream when the PKK blew up the bridge and then fired on the convoy.
Firat News Agency: Hostages taken
The TGRT news website said that there were about 150 PKK fighters.
The wounded soldiers were flown to hospitals in Yüksekova and Hakkari. According to the Firat News Agency, the PKK claims that hostages were taken during the battle.
Supplementary military units have been transferred to the area.
According to the Pukmedia based in Süleymaniye, Northern Iraq, the Turkish army was bombing the Zaho region in Iraq for about two hours in the early morning.
18 civilians wounded in mine accident
After the news of the killed soldiers emerged, another tragedy occurred in the same district of Hakkari.
18 civilians travelling in a minibus in the Daglica area of the Yüksekova district of Hakkari were injured when their minibus drove over mines on the road.
The bus was part of a wedding convoy. According to the Yüksekova News, seven people are seriously injured. They have been taken to hospital in Van. The other wounded have been taken to the Yüksekova state hospital. (NZ/TK/AG)