Soldier succumbs to wounds in Turkish hospital

TRABZON, Turkey (AA) - A Turkish soldier seriously injured in an armed attack in the Black Sea region on Sunday succumbed to his injuries on Monday, officials said.

The soldier was shot Sunday after gunmen opened fire on an army vehicle in Torul, a town around 20 kilometers (12 miles) northwest of the provincial capital Gumushane, and was being treated at a hospital in Trabzon, the Trabzon Governor’s Office said in a statement.

It said that despite all medical efforts, the soldier could not be saved.

He joined one other soldier martyred in the attack on Sunday.

Gumushane Governor Yucel Yavuz told reporters that terrorists had been active in the area for more than a month. “A large-scale operation has been launched to catch the perpetrators,” he said.

He did not name the group thought to be responsible, but the PKK terrorist organization is the main suspect, though it usually is active in southeastern Turkey.

* Anadolu Agency Correspondent Diyar Guldogan contributed to this story from Ankara.