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World Bulletin / News Desk

A military vehicle transporting soldiers to Şırnak province's Uludere district to provide extra security for former Democratic Society Party (DTP) Chairman Ahmet Türk's visit to Uludere rolled over on Tuesday, killing 10.

A number of soldiers had been sent to Gülyazı village, Uludere, in order to provide extra security for Türk's visit. The vehicle, carrying 18 soldiers, rolled over into a drainage ditch about 200 meters outside the village, along the main road leading into it.

Nine soldiers and the driver of the vehicle died in the accident, while the other nine soldiers were reported to have been seriously wounded. Villagers who witnessed the accident delivered first aid to the injured before they were transferred to Şırnak Military Hospital by the Gülyazı Border Brigade.

According to the most recent reports, the injured are in critical condition.

Türk had been scheduled to visit the families of villagers killed in late December 2011, when Turkish fighter jets mistook them for Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) operatives near the Turkish-Iraqi border. The tragedy sparked outrage in Turkey as 34 civilians were killed in the incident.