Turkish boy killed by device found at school site

By Saim Harmanci

HAKKARI, Turkey (AA) – An 11-year-old child died and two others were wounded Tuesday when an unidentified object they were playing with exploded in Turkey's southeastern province of Hakkari.

The children found the item at the site of the former Vali Erdogan Gurbuz primary school which was damaged by terror attacks and later demolished in Hakkari’s Yuksekova district.

The dead child -- identified as Umut Ayvalik -- later died of his injuries in hospital.

His companions were also taken for medical treatment, one for serious injuries at a hospital in neighboring Van province. The third child was treated at Yuksekova State Hospital.

Hakkari province has seen broad anti-terror operations since the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July last year.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks martyred more than 700 security personnel and also claimed the lives of numerous civilians, including women and children, while more than 8,000 PKK terrorists have been killed in army operations.