8 soldiers martyred in eastern Turkey

By Cemal Asan

VAN, Turkey

Eight Turkish soldiers have been martyred and eight others injured during an anti-PKK operation in Turkey’s eastern province of Van, local officials said on Saturday.

The Van Governorate said in a statement that at least 11 PKK terrorists were “neutralized” during the clash that erupted on Friday.

The statement added that the injured were taken to nearby hospitals. Their lives were not in danger.

An air-backed operation was ongoing in the region, the statement said.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, more than 600 security personnel have been martyred and more than 7,000 PKK terrorists killed.