UPDATE - Death toll from terror attack by YPG/PKK in southeastern Türkiye rises to 3

UPDATES WITH DEATH TOLL, CHANGES HEAD, DECK, LEDE

By Irfan Aydogdu and Fevzi Kemal Karagoz

GAZIANTEP, Türkiye (AA) – At least three people have died in multiple rocket attacks by the terror group YPG/PKK in Türkiye's southeastern Gaziantep province, the country’s interior minister said Monday.

**The mortar shells hit a residential area and injured six people in the Karkamis district, Suleyman Soylu told reporters in the capital Ankara. He added that the injured were transferred to the hospital.

"Unfortunately, according to initial information, three of our citizens, including a child and a teacher, lost their lives,” Soylu added.

Stressing that Türkiye will respond to these terror acts in “the strongest way,” he said all necessary steps will be taken in this regard.

A health worker at the scene was also injured in the attack. Mehmet Goren told Anadolu Agency that he was trying to recover an injured person from the rubble when another bomb hit.

"The blast flung me into the stairwell. Later, I was brought to the hospital. I think my foot is broken,” he said.

Five rockets hit a residential area near the Karkamis border crossing in Gaziantep province, Governor Davut Gul said on Twitter, adding that two of the injured were in critical condition.

A high school and two houses as well as a truck were damaged in the attack.

An investigation has been launched into the latest spate of cross-border attacks launched by the terrorist organization.

On Sunday, at least eight security personnel, including seven police officers and one soldier, were injured in a PKK terrorist rocket attack into southeastern Türkiye near the Kilis Oncupinar border crossing.

Separately on Sunday, YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria fired four rockets into Karkamis. The rockets hit an empty area, and an investigation of the attack has begun.

The attacks came after Türkiye announced last week that it had launched an air operation against the PKK/YPG terror group in both northern Syria and northern Iraq, where the terrorist group also has hideouts where they plot and mount attacks against Türkiye.

The operation follows the Nov. 13 terror attack on Istanbul's crowded Istiklal Avenue that killed at least six people and left 81 injured.

The Turkish government said the attack was carried out by the terrorist group PKK/YPG.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the terror group's Syrian offshoot.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar