Eight killed in van explosion

By Yigal Schleifer

Istanbul (dpa) – Eight passengers in a commuter van were killed when the vehicle was hit by an explosion, Turkey’s state-run Anatolian Agency reported Thursday, quoting local officials.

     Three passengers were injured in the blast, according to the report. Initial reports had put the death toll higher and said the van had run over a landmine.

     The van was travelling in the province of Hakkari, near Turkey’s border with Iraq and Iran. The area has recently seen increased clashes between Turkish security forces and members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), considered a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States.