A Turkish sergeant was killed Monday night in a firefight when an armed group attacked a privately operated hydro-electric power plant in the Dinar Deresi region of Tunceli province, Dogan news agency reported.
The group attacked the power plant at around 9 p.m. and tried to set the administrative building on fire.
The clashes broke out when security forces ordered the attackers to surrender. Specialist Sgt. Bilal Gulcan was seriously injured and was taken to Elazıg Military Hospital, where he died. He was 23.
Gendarmerie Special Forces were deployed to the area and an air-supported operation was launched to catch the attackers.
Sources cited by Agence France-Presse first said the militants belonged to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, but then said they were believed to be members of an underground far-left group, which is also active in the region.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the Europe.
Hurriyet Daily News
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