One police officer killed in PKK attack in Turkey's east

Suspected militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) have opened fire on a police officer?s car in the eastern province of Tunceli, killing the officer and wounding his daughter.

Kadri Özkara, 55, was driving on the Tunceli-Erzincan road along with his daughter at around 10 a.m. on Sept. 8. While proceeding toward Tunceli, also known as Dersim, Özkara saw armed PKK militants blocking the road and attempted to escape the road block. 

Militants opened fire on the car, badly injuring Özkara. The officer was taken to Tunceli State Hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. 

Özkara?s daughter received minor injuries in the incident. The militants later set Özkara?s car alight and fled the scene.

Security forces have launched a wide-scale operation in the region to apprehend the PKK militants responsible for the attack.

The PKK?s military wing, the People?s Defense Forces (HPG), have been controlling parts of the road for the past two weeks, according to local reports.