December car bomb attack in Turkey claims 15th victim

By Sercan Kucuksahin

KAYSERI, Turkey (AA) - The number of martyred police officers after a deadly bomb attack last December targeting soldiers in central Turkey has increased to 15, hospital sources said Friday.

On Dec. 17, 2016, a suicide car-bomb attack hit a public bus carrying off-duty soldiers in Kayseri, initially martyring 14 officers and wounding 54 others.

Police officer Mesut Yasar, who was seriously injured in the attack, succumbed to his wounds at hospital 49 days after the blast, said sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.

In January, 20 suspects were remanded in custody in connection with the car bomb attack.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus has said all signs pointed to the involvement of the PKK terrorist group.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization also by the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July 2015. More than 300 civilians and about 850 security personnel since have been martyred. More than 9,000 PKK terrorists have been killed or apprehended.