Investigation into allegations of dropping from a military helicopter

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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The Governor's Office of Van has released a written statement about the allegation that two people were dropped from a military helicopter in the district of Çatak in eastern Van province on September 11.

According to the statement of the governor's office, one of the two persons was "on the lookout," he escaped without obeying the "stop warning" and got wounded by falling off the cliff and the other person is "considered to be aiding and abetting the organization members."

Noting that an investigation has been launched into the allegations that two people were dropped from a helicopter in Van, the Governor's Office has also said that after the operation where three soldiers lost their lives, one Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) member fled.

The statement of the office briefly reads as follows:

"It was seen that the person named S.T., who was on the lookout and displaying suspicious behaviour, fell off the cliff and got wounded when he was trying to flee by not obeying the 'stop warning.' The person was caught even though he resisted and he was duly held.

"Considered to be aiding and abetting the organization members, the person named O.Ş. was also duly held though he resisted in the same region.

"For their detention proceedings, two suspects and one terrorist were taken from the operation zone in a helicopter and brought to the Van Provincial Gendarmerie Command on September 11 at around 7 p.m.

"The suspects were first taken to the nearest private hospital in ambulances, then, they were referred to the Van Regional Research Hospital.

"After his treatment ended, the person named O.Ş. was discharged from hospital on September 20, 2020 while S.T. is still in treatment.

"Regarding the allegations explained above, the Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office started a legal process on September 11, 2020 and a simultaneous administrative investigation was also launched by the administration to meticulously consider the incident in its all aspects."

CLICK - 'Dropped from helicopter' expression in the medical report

(EKN/SD)