PKK claims downing of Turkish military helicopter
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 2 June 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, PKK claims downing of Turkish military helicopter, 2 June 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59818dbca.html [accessed 4 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
June 02, 2017 18:40 GMT
PKK supporters at a rally
A Kurdish rebel group claims it downed a military helicopter that crashed this week in southeastern Turkey, killing all 13 personnel on board.
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said in a statement carried by the Firat news agency on June 2 that the Cougar helicopter was shot down while it was on the move in Sirnak, a province bordering Iraq and Syria.
The Turkish army had said the May 31 crash appeared to be accidental, with initial information indicating that the helicopter hit a high-voltage transmission line shortly after taking off from a base in Sirnak's Senoba region.
A major general, Aydogan Aydin, was among those killed.
The PKK has been fighting a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. Peace talks and a cease-fire between the Kurdish group and the Turkish government collapsed in 2015.
Based on reporting by AFP and dpa
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
