Erzincan Governor Abdulkadir Demir said the terrorists were chased as they were heading from the eastern province of Tunceli to Gümüşhane and were caught in Gümüşhane’s Kelkit district. According to a written statement released by the Gümüşhane Governor’s Office, the terrorists were captured along with ammunition, and the military continued the operation to catch the remaining terrorists.
The military forces used helicopters, Gümüşhane Governor Enver Salihoğlu told the Anatolia news agency. In the meantime, the highway between Kelkit and Erzincan, where the operation took place, has been closed to traffic due to security reasons, although yesterday large trucks were allowed to use the road after security checks. Motorists had to use village roads between Kelkit and Erzincan. Clashes between the Turkish military and the PKK have escalated in recent weeks after PKK terrorists called off a one-year, unilateral cease-fire and as warmer weather in mountainous eastern Turkey makes it easier for the terrorists to move about.