One Serbian PKK sniper killed, another captured in Turkey’s southeast

ISTANBUL

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A Serbian sniper of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was killed while another was captured alive, daily Vatan has reported, while claiming at least five other hit men are currently operating in southeastern Turkey.Reports indicate that a sniper of Serbian nationality was captured dead during an operation in southeastern Şırnak’s Cizre province on Jan. 29.In an operation on Jan. 30, another alleged Serbian sniper was captured and brought to Şırnak’s anti-terror branch to be interrogated.Initial reports from intelligence units suggest the snipers were hired by the PKK and at least five other foreign hitmen are currently fighting against Turkish security forces in Turkey’s violence-stricken southeastern provinces.The revelation came after Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s remarks to reporters during his official trip to the Saudi capital of Riyadh.“Many foreign snipers were identified during the operations,” the prime minister was quoted as saying.The Serbian embassy also responded to media reports, underlining that Serbia opposes the participation of its citizens in the armed conflicts of third countries.“The Republic of Serbia strongly opposes any eventual participation of its citizens in any armed conflicts in third countries. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has passed a law which sharply sanctions any such activity,” said a written statement issued by the embassy on Jan. 31.“Bearing that in mind, the allegations cannot and should not be in any case or way related to the official policy or activities of the Republic of Serbia and its institutions,” it added.Vatan newspaper also reported a claim by security expert Mete Yarar, alleging that a similar case recently took place in another district of Şırnak.“A sniper of European origin infiltrated Silopi from Kobane, martyred three of our security officials and fled back,” Yarar said, adding the assassin was later killed in Syria while fighting against the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).Turkish security forces killed five snipers from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) late January 2015, according to media reports citing intelligence units.Reports indicate that five snipers, including two female snipers, were killed after the Turkish military received intelligence that 13 snipers operating on rural posts of the outlawed organization infiltrated Turkey following Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) siege of the Syrian border town of Kobane in late 2014.Accordingly, eight snipers were based in Sur, a district in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, and three snipers were based in Cizre, a district in the southeastern province of Şırnak. Two other snipers were based in Silopi, another district in Şırnak.