VAN (CIHAN) - Three Turkish troops were killed and three others wounded on Monday when a remote-controlled mine blasted in eastern Turkish province of Van.
The deadly attack took place in the town of Gür, Van on Monday when a remote-controlled mine, planted by the outlawed PKK/Kongra-Gel terrorists, detonated while a military vehicle was passing. Four troops, 1 expert sergeant and 1 head sergeant were wounded at the site and were taken to the Van military hospital. Three of the soldiers later died from their injuries in the hospital.
The attack was the deadliest since the PKK/Kongra-Gel ended its unilateral ceasefire in early June.
Security officers have launched an intensive military operation in the region. Van Gendarmerie Lieutenant General Erdal Ceylanoðlu and Gendarmerie Regiment General Staff Officer Colonel Harun Ocakli visited the region for inspection.
Terrorist attacks by the PKK have increased recently in the southeastern region of Turkey following the ending of the unilateral PKK/KONGRA-GEL ceasefire on June 1 which had lasted six years.
A few hundred PKK terrorists are believed to be active in eastern Turkey. However, intelligence sources say that many more PKK militants, up to 1,500, have infiltrated Turkey from neighboring Iraq in recent weeks.
The separatist activities of the outlawed PKK/KADEK terrorist organization claimed nearly 30,000 lives in the region up to the late nineties. However, the activities of the organization declined sharply following the capture of leader Abdullah Öcalan in February 1999.