Guernsey Press

Turkey ammunition depot blast leaves seven soldiers dead

The president said the cause of the blast was under investigation.

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At least seven soldiers have been killed and 25 others wounded in an explosion at an ammunition depot at a base in Turkey.

The Defence Ministry previously said that 25 soldiers were wounded and seven others were missing following an unexplained accident during the firing of heavy weapons ammunition.

The blast occurred at a base in Hakkari province, bordering Iraq and Iran.

The base is mainly used for operations targeting outlawed Kurdish rebels.

Turkey Ataturk
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Burhan Ozbilici/AP)

He later told reporters before departing for Paris that seven soldiers were killed and 25 others were wounded in the explosion.

Four of the wounded were in serious condition and were being evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Ankara, Mr Erdogan said.

The others were hospitalised in Hakkari province.

The president said the cause of the blast was under investigation.

It was not clear if the explosion occurred during training or a clash against rebels.

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