4 soldiers, one policeman killed in PKK attacks in Turkey

Ankara, March 22: Four soldiers of the Turkish security forces and one Turkish policeman were killed on Monday in attacks by the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants in southeastern Turkey, local NTV news broadcaster reported.

The Turkish security forces engaged in an armed clash with PKK militants as a part of a military operation in the Nusaybin town of Mardin province on Monday, Xinhua quoted the report as saying.

Meanwhile, one police officer was also killed at the same day in a separate PKK attack in Marding's Nusaybin town bordering neighbouring Syria.

PKK militants detonated a hand-made explosive during a ground search by security forces in the town's Dicle neighbourhood. One police officer was wounded in the explosion but later succumbed to his injuries at the Nusaybin State Hospital despite all efforts.

Late Sunday, the security forces killed 22 PKK members and on Saturday, government troops killed 28 PKK militants in operations in the southeastern provinces of Mardin, Sirnak and Hakkari, Turkish General Staff said on Monday.

A 2013 cease-fire between the government and the PKK fell apart after a suicide bomb attack last July in the border town of Suruc in Sanliurfa Province.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union.

IANS