Four dead from roadside blast in Turkey

Earlier on Monday two policemen were killed in a separate attack.

Turkish military units take security measures in Silopi District of Sirnak province on May 24, 2016.
TRT World and Agencies

Turkish military units take security measures in Silopi District of Sirnak province on May 24, 2016.

At least four people died in a second roadside bomb attack in southeastern Turkey on Monday. The first attack left two dead and a third injured.

The bomb blast in Silopi in Sirnak Province near the Iraqi border hit a police vehicle. Four civilians were killed and 23 people were injured, including five police officers. Security officials said the bomb had been placed inside a manhole and was detonated as a police vehicle passed overhead. The wounded were immediately transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment, media accounts stated.

Earlier, in the eastern city of Van, the PKK terrorist organisation remotely detonated a roadside bomb, targeting a passing armoured vehicle. Two police officers were killed and a third was wounded.

According to previous security reports, Silopi, which borders Iraq, is one of the areas where the PKK had a heavy presence before the terror group renewed its attacks against security forces in late July 2015. 

Turkish security forces began a large-scale operation against suspected PKK terrorists after the attack.

Since renewed fighting broke out last year PKK attacks have killed more than 400 security officials in Turkey. In response to the attacks, Turkish security forces have launched large-scale operations against the PKK and associated groups and have killed nearly 4,000 PKK terrorists, according to Ankara.

The PKK is recognised as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU, the US, and NATO.

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