Turkish soldier killed, 5 wounded in PKK attack

A Turkish soldier was killed and five others wounded in an attack by the militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, private Dogan news agency reported.

A group of PKK members attacked a gendarmerie station in Diyarbakir province, killing a Turkish soldier and wounding four soldiers and one village guard, according to the report.

The Turkish security forces have launched a large-scale operation against the PKK rebels who escaped from the attack in the region, added the report.

Earlier on Wednesday, a bomb planted by PKK members exploded near an armored vehicle carrying the soldiers that was passing by the town of Sarikamis in the northeastern Kars province, wounding three Turkish soldiers, Dogan news agency reported.

Tensions between the PKK and Turkish security forces are increasing following a tumultuous week which began with an Islamic State (IS) suicide bombing July 20, killing 32 individuals and injuring 104 activists in the town of Suruc in the Sanliurfa province bordering Syria.

The People's Defense Forces (HPG), affiliated with the PKK, claimed responsibility for the death of the two police officers as retaliation to the Suruc bombing, insinuating that the officers were linked to IS.

According to a statement by the Turkish prime minister's office, Turkish security forces have detained over 1,300 individuals with suspected ties to IS, PKK and leftist groups, whilst the military unleashed several airstrikes on PKK posts in northern Iraq. Endit