By Yilmaz Kazandioglu and Sarp Ozer
HAKKARI, Turkey (AA) - A village guard was martyred by PKK terrorists in Turkey’s southeastern province of Hakkari on Wednesday, a security source said.
Mehmet Genc was kidnapped by the PKK while driving on the highway linking Hakkari and the neighboring province of Van, the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. His body was later found by the highway.
Village guards are local security personnel employed by Turkey in the fight against the PKK in the east and southeast.
Meanwhile Turkish fighter jets hit PKK targets in rural areas of Sirnak province early Wednesday and Turkish troops killed three PKK terrorists in the area, a military source said, speaking under the same condition of anonymity.
The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015. Since then nearly 600 security personnel have been martyred and more than 5,000 PKK terrorists killed.