Four Turkish troops have been wounded after a group of terrorists opened fire with rifles on soldiers in the eastern province of Agri, Turkish security sources have said.
Turkish troops retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire around the village of Yukaritutek in the district of Diyadin, Turkish General Staff said in a statement Saturday, World Bulletin reported.
“Upon a tip that a terrorist organization planned a ‘Spring Fest’ event on Saturday and Sunday in the area with the purpose of propaganda, and in order to pressure locals to vote for certain nominees in the upcoming June 7 elections, a total of 15 military teams from the Agri Provincial Gendarmerie were dispatched to the area over Friday night in order to secure the area and establish public order upon the order of Agri governor,” the statement read.
Manned reconnaissance planes, attack helicopters and commandos were deployed to the area, and the clashes were ongoing, it added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that the clashes were ongoing between the Turkish troops and 25 terrorists.
He said: “I strongly condemn this attack on our security forces who work selflessly to ensure the security of our people.”
