09 Dec 2019 | 03:23 PM UTC
Turkey: IED detonation kills two soldiers in Şırnak province December 9
Improvised explosive device (IED) detonation kills two soldiers in village near İdil (Şırnak province) December 9; similar incidents possible in southeastern Turkey over the near term
Event
An improvised explosive device (IED) detonated while Turkish soldiers attempted to defuse it in a village near İdil (Şırnak province) on Monday, December 9, killing at least two soldiers and wounding seven others. The regional governor's office claimed the explosive device was planted by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Similar incidents are possible in southeastern Turkey over the near term.
Context
Turkey has been faced with a Kurdish insurgency since 1984, spearheaded by the PKK and concentrated in the southeast. The armed conflict resumed in 2015 following the dissolution of a ceasefire established between the government and the PKK in 2013. 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
Individuals in Şırnak province are advised to monitor developments, avoid the affected area, and adhere to instructions issued by local authorities and their home government.
