Civilian killed in northeast Turkey 'militants attack'

A civilian was killed and another person was injured when a group of armed attackers allegedly opened fire on security forces in northeast Turkey Sunday, an official said.

The incident occurred near Ardahan's Gole district bordering Erzurum province as the gendarmes were examining the area around the municipal water reservoirs as part of an operation launched Thursday “when a group of terrorists cut off water supply, and took technical repair teams hostage,” according to a statement from the Ardahan governor's office Sunday.

The three technical staff members were later released, but their vehicle was confiscated by the armed men, the statement said, adding that Erzurum's governor dispatched local gendarmerie to the area as some of the reservoirs were within the borders of Erzurum, and the case came under the jurisdiction of its security forces.

The armed attackers then opened fire on the local gendarmes, the statement said, adding that a passing van carrying four civilians got caught in the crossfire that left one civilian dead and another injured.

According to hospital sources, one of the dead was identified as Kanber Morkoc, whose body was sent to the coroner's office for autopsy, while the injured man, Sabri Morkoc, was being treated at an Erzurum hospital.