PKK attack wounds district governor in SE Turkey

MARDIN, Turkey

Three people were wounded Thursday in a terrorist PKK attack on the office of a district governor in the southeastern Mardin province, according to a security source.

The source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking with the media, said the wounded included Derik district Governor Muhammet Fatih Safiturk.

The wounded were rushed to a hospital in the region, the source said, adding security forces had apprehended 20 people as part of operations conducted in the district.

Visiting the victims in hospital, Mardin province Governor Mustafa Yaman said: "An operation was launched to capture the terrorists. Our fight against terrorism will continue with determination."

Yaman’s office also issued a statement saying the attack was carried out with a handmade explosive.

"The treatment of the two people suffering minor wounds is still ongoing in Derik State Hospital," said the statement.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said Safiturk was first referred to Dicle University Hospital in Diyarbakir province.

He was later transferred to Gaziantep province by ambulance helicopter, and was given treatment at Ersin Arslan State Hospital, according to the security source mentioned above.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015.

Since then, PKK terrorists have martyred nearly 800 members of security forces and claimed the lives of over 310 civilians including women and children while more than 10,000 PKK terrorists have been killed or apprehended in army operations.The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July last year.