UPDATE - Soldier succumbs to wounds in SE Turkey hospital

UPDATES WITH 4 TERRORISTS 'NEUTRALIZED' IN HAKKARI

By Cemal Asan and Sarp Ozer

HAKKARI, Turkey (AA) - A soldier succumbed to his wounds at a hospital on Sunday following a clash with PKK terrorists in southeastern Hakkari province Saturday, according to the provincial governor's office.

On Saturday, three Turkish soldiers were martyred and four others injured during a clash between PKK terrorists and security forces in Hakkari.

The clash had taken place on the outskirts of Agacdibi Village, where five PKK terrorists were also "neutralized", according to the office.

Meanwhile, in another operation that continues in Hakkari's Semdinli district, security forces "neutralized" two female terrorists, according to a military source, who wished to stay anonymous due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The source added one of the terrorists was among the assassins who killed a ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party politician, Ahmet Budak, on Wednesday.

Budak ran for a parliamentary seat in the November 2015 elections in Hakkari province.

In another operation in Hakkari, two out of three terrorists spotted in Cukurca district were neutralized as well. In the operation, numerous rocket launchers and rockets of terrorists were also seized.

The total number of neutralized terrorists in Cukurca operations has now risen to 209. The army often uses the word "neutralized" to imply that a terrorist has been killed.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, and resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK terrorists were killed in army operations.