AK Party official shot dead by PKK

A local official of the governing Justice and Development AK Party was kidnapped and shot dead late on Saturday, the party's province Chairman Zahir Soganda said.

Soganda said Aydin Ahi, who served as deputy chairman in the Van province's Ozalp district, was shot 20 metres from his house after he was kidnapped by two PKK militants.

The party's district chairman Orhan Yildirimcakar said other PKK militants fired their guns while Ahi was being kidnapped.

AK Party's previous deputy chairman in the same district, Aydin Musta, was killed last year in an armed assault by the PKK in front of his house.

Authorities have launched operations to capture the perpetrators.

Ahi's death comes hours after the party's deputy chairman in Diyarbakir province's Lice district, Orhan Mercan, was shot in front of his house and pronounced dead at a hospital, according to district chairman Ismail Demir.

Diyarbakir and Van, which are around 300 kilometres apart, have been hit by numerous PKK attacks since the group, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and EU, resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the state in July 2015.

More than 1,200 victims, including security personnel and civilians, have since lost their lives in PKK attacks.