A Turkish major was killed Sept. 26 in an attack by suspected members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the eastern province of Tunceli, the Turkish General Staff has stated. Gendarmerie Maj. Yavuz Sonat Güzel was badly wounded during clashes between PKK militants and security forces in the Yapraklı hamlet. Güzel was taken to Elazığ military hospital by helicopter before being transferred to Fırat University hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries despite all medical efforts. An air operation with the support of Cobra and Sikorsky helicopters was launched to apprehend the militants. Meanwhile, four civilians were wounded in a separate PKK attack in the northern province of Giresun. Three women and another civilian who were attending a wedding in the garden of a school in the Güce district were slightly injured when militants opened fire on a nearby gendarmerie station with rockets and long-barreled rifles. The wounded civilians were reported to be in good condition.
