Turkish soldier killed by the PKK in Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Turkish soldier was killed during clashes with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region, according to Turkey’s official sources. 

The soldier, named by Turkish defense ministry as Islam Ciftci, died while fighting the PKK in the Kurdistan Region, according to the country’s vice president Fuat Oktay. The ministry did not provide details. 

Omer Faruk Coskun, governor of Turkey’s southern province of Kahramanmaras, said the soldier was from the area. 

Since April, Turkey has carried out two intense campaigns against the PKK in northern Duhok province. Most of the casualties among the Turkish army since then have been from these two campaigns. 

The PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased political and cultural rights of Kurds in Turkey. It is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara. 

The organization has also announced deaths of its fighters during clashes with Turkish army in the Kurdistan Region.