The young gendarme was killed in clashes between security forces and terrorists in the eastern province of Hakkari on Saturday. Yalım’s funeral brought together politicians, military officers and citizens. Among those in attendance were Adana Deputy Governor Fikret Deniz, Adana Deputy Mayor Zihri Aldırmaz, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies Vahir Kirişçi, Ali Küçükaydın and Necdet Ünüvar, and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Yılmaz Tankut.Citizens chanted slogans against the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) during the funeral. “Martyrs never die, the country will never be divided,” “Down with the PKK” and “We are soldiers of Mustafa Kemal,” they shouted.
Yalım’s parents, Gülten and Mehmet, wept during the ceremony.
The terrorist organization did not claim responsibility for the attack, but security forces believe that the PKK is behind the soldier’s killing. If this is the case, the PKK will be seen as insincere in its pledge to halt terrorist attacks until after the Sept. 12 public referendum.
In the meantime, terrorists opened fire on a group of soldiers patrolling a rural area in the Pertek district of Tunceli province on Saturday evening. The attack resulted in the injury of one soldier, who was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. He is reportedly in good condition. Security forces initiated a large-scale operation in the area to capture the fleeing terrorists.
MAHIR ZEYNALOV
DENİZ ERGÜREL
SEVGİ AKARÇEŞME
PINAR VURUCU
M. EDİB YILMAZ
LAURA MOTH
SİNEM CENGİZ
ABDULLA HAWEZ
ABDULLAH AYASUN
FATMA DEMİRELLİ
ŞULE KULU
E. BARIŞ ALTINTAŞ
ERGİN HAVA
ESRA MADEN