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Turkish soldier killed by fire across Iran border: ministry
ANKARA, June 24, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – A Turkish soldier died after coming under fire from across the border with Iran, Turkey’s defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Three soldiers were wounded by “harassment fire” on Tuesday, the ministry said, as they carried out reconnaissance and surveillance activities in the border town of Yuksekova.
One died after being taken to hospital, it added in a statement.
The ministry did not designate who was responsible for the death.
Turkish forces frequently conduct operations against Kurdish militant hideouts in southeast Turkey and rear bases in Iraq.
To prevent the rebels’ activities and illegal immigration, Turkey also began building a wall on its border with Iran in 2017.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said earlier this month that the wall was “75 percent complete” with hopes for work to be finished by the end of the year.
The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, and tens of thousands of people have been killed in the violence.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1700 hrs