Turkey kills 19 PKK militants, policeman dies in southeast

The Turkish military has killed 19 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey amid the death of a police officer in the latest PKK offensive in the southeastern province of Siirt.

Twelve PKK militants reportedly died in fighting in Cizre, a district in the southeastern province of ??rnak, in military operations targeting the organization on Jan. 14, the Turkish General Staff (TSK) said. 

Some 15 improvised explosive devices were deactivated and three barricades were removed during the operation. The military also seized three Kalashnikov rifles, two pistols, two hand grenades, 16 Molotov cocktails and several other weapons and ammunition in the operation.  

Also in the Silopi district of ??rnak, five PKK militants were killed during military operations in the district on Jan. 14, the TSK said Jan. 15. 

Eight hand grenades were deactivated in the operation.

Two other militants from the outlawed organization were killed in Sur, a district in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r, on Jan. 14 during military operations targeting the group. 

The TSK said in the statement also that two PKK militants were killed in Sur, a district in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r, on Jan. 14 during military operations targeting the outlawed organization. Some 11 barricades were removed and a hand grenade was deactivated in the operation.

The military operations in southeastern towns have been followed by a fresh PKK offensive in the country's southeast that killed a police officer.

The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that police officer Yalç?n Yamaner, 39, was killed on Jan. 15 in Siirt during a counterterrorism operation against PKK militants.

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