The latest in Turkey today is the third in a string of fatal attacks targeting law enforcement and military officials in less than 24 hours.
Believed to have been detonated by Kurdish militants, officials say the blast went off at around 1 p.m. local time in the Bitlis province’s Hizan District, targeting a military vehicle returning from an operation, killing 3 soldiers while injuring at least 6 others.
This occurred just hours after a car bomb attack allegedly carried out by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as PKK, killed 3 police officers and injured at least 170 in Elazig, leaving 14 in critical condition.
It was on Wednesday that the terror began when PKK launched their campaign of car bombings following commander Cemil Bayik’s threat to increase attacks on police in Turkey.
The group detonated a bomb at a police station in the province of Van, killing one officer and two civilians, injuring at least 73 others.
Since 1984, tens of thousands have died at the hands of the PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its allies.
Fighting between the state and PKK came to a halt for a while following a peace agreement, but the violence resumed last year after it collapsed.
Over 600 Turkish security personnel and hundreds of civilians have been killed since then in clashes between the government and the PKK.
Authorities implemented a temporary blackout on media coverage of the Elazig bombing due to “public order and national security” concerns, a common act imposed by Turkish officials after deadly attacks such as these.
The ban requested that media to keep from publishing anything that could incite “fear in the public, panic and disorder and which may serve the aims of terrorist organizations.”
