Sixteen villagers who were reported to be missing since clashes broke out in Daðlýca region of Hakkari on Tuesday were confirmed to be in the operation area as they called a military post and informed soldiers about their situation.

The villagers who were reported to be in the area got stuck in the middle of the Turkish army operation. Villagers were able to leave the area when soldiers suspended fire for some time to allow them into their village.

Speaking to Dicle News Agency (DIHA) after reaching the village on foot, villager Nurettin Rendan said that two sheepherders Servet and Umut Özaka were taken into custody by soldiers in the area of the air-supported operation which still continues from place to place with the participation of 20 thousand soldiers.

Rendan said the followings about the difficult times they lived in the operation area; “We came face to face with death in the village of Serpêl as we nearly died during the clashes. We could hardly save our lives from the fires opened from helicopters but we weren’t able to save our 150 animals which were destroyed in the fire and hundreds of others which got lost in the area. We reached our village with our own efforts but we haven’t received any news from two sheepherders who were detained taken to the military post by soldiers last night.”