Blast in eastern Turkey kills 14-year-old boy

By Cemil Karip

AGRI, Turkey (AA) – A 14-year-old boy died after an improvised explosive device went off in Turkey’s eastern province of Agri, local authorities said on Saturday.

Agri governorship released a statement saying Fettah Erden, a shepherd, died when a device planted by the terrorist PKK group exploded in the Diyadin district.

Sinan Ciftci, 19, who was injured in the same blast, was sent to Agri State Hospital, the statement added.

Diyadin Public Prosecutor has launched an investigation.

Tension is high in southeastern Turkey since the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU – resumed its 30-year armed campaign in July 2015.

Since then, nearly 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards, have been martyred and more than 5,000 PKK terrorists killed in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.