A file photo shows a shoe being pictured near the explosion scene following a late night attack on a wedding party that left at least 30 dead in Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border on August 21, 2016. (AFP/Xinhua)
ANKARA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ten soldiers and eight civilians were killed on Sunday when outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants staged a car bomb attack targeting a military post in southeastern Turkish province of Hakkari, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced.
Altogether 18 were killed in the suicide attack when a PKK bomber blew himself up inside a bomb-laden pickup that drove into the Durak gendarmerie road checkpoint, Yildirim said while speaking ahead of a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) consultation meeting.
The prime minister said that five tons of explosives were used in the attack, which created a six-meter-deep hole at the scene and damaged buildings nearby, adding that the latest series of security operations in rural areas of the region had seriously limited the power and abilities of the PKK, making them attempt to stage suicide attacks.
He voiced determination in the country's fight against the PKK, the Islamic State and other terror organizations.
Hakkari Governor's Office also stated that 27 people, including 11 soldiers, were wounded in the attack and transferred to hospitals with a military helicopter, adding that the bomb-laden pickup disobeyed stop warnings while other PKK militants opened fire to distract attention. The pickup was later detonated.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly condemned the attack in a written statement, saying the government was determined to obstruct PKK attacks and take all kinds of political, diplomatic and military precautions both at home and abroad for a more secure and peaceful future.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of Turkish Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said that the executive authorities should act with prudence and responsibility to ease the nation's pain and achieve peace.
According to Turkish General Staff, 387 PKK militants have been killed in Hakkari since Aug. 4.
A wide-scale air-supported operation is being conducted in the region, the military added.
The PKK is listed as a terror organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey.
