Turkey: IED detonation kills two people in Hakkâri province July 31

Event

A roadside improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the town of Yüksekova (Hakkâri province) on Tuesday, July 31, killing two people. The victims were the wife and son of a soldier in the Turkish army. Turkish authorities have blamed the attack on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Additional PKK attacks are possible in Hakkâri province in the near-term.

Context

Turkey has faced a Kurdish insurgency since 1984, spearheaded by the PKK, which was renewed in 2015 following the dissolution of a ceasefire. The conflict has left over 40,000 people dead since 1984 and associated violence continues to pose a significant security risk in southeastern Turkey.

Advice

Due to the risk of terrorism, individuals in Turkey should maintain a high degree of vigilance, report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities, and be particularly cautious when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (e.g. public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels, and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.).