Ten soldiers and eight civilians were killed on Oct. 9 in an Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) suicide bomb attack targeting a military road checkpoint in the Şemdinli district of the eastern province of Hakkari, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has announced, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.
Speaking ahead of a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) consultation meeting in Istanbul, Yildirim said 10 soldiers and eight civilians were killed in the suicide attack when a PKK bomber blew himself up inside a bomb-laden pickup that drove into the Durak gendarmerie road checkpoint in the district.
Yildirim said five tons of explosives were used in the attack, which created a six-meter deep hole at the scene and damaged buildings nearby.
Two of the killed soldiers were identified as Pvt. Eyüp Hacıoğlu and Gendarmerie Specialized Sgt. Hasan Aydoğdu.
In addition, the Hakkari Governor’s Office also stated that 27 people, including 11 soldiers, were wounded in the attack and were transferred to hospitals with a military helicopter.
