Turkey says Iranian fire killed soldier at border, joint probe underway

Turkey's Defense Ministry said soldier Yusuf Sait Ünlü was killed on October 31 at the Engin Border Outpost on the Iran border. The ministry stated that fire believed to have come from Iran caused his death during an intervention against illegal border crossing.

Judicial and administrative investigations were launched after the incident. On November 3, Turkish officials met Iranian counterparts at the scene as part of the probe.

“The efforts to clarify the incident in all its aspects continue meticulously in coordination with Iranian authorities.”

Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk said efforts to clarify all aspects of the incident continue in coordination with Iranian authorities. He added that both judicial and administrative examinations have been launched by Iranian officials.

The ministry also reported that 665 people were detained at the border in the past week, 665 of whom were members of a terrorist organization. During the same period, 1,766 attempts to cross the border were prevented.

Since the beginning of the year, 15,294 people have been detained for illegal border crossing attempts, while 59,621 crossings have been blocked. In a separate case, Specialist Sergeant Oğuz Şahin died on November 2 at the Alparslan Border Outpost in Van's Çaldıran district after falling ill.

Aktürk offered condolences to the families of both soldiers and to the Turkish Armed Forces. He also marked the 88th anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death during the weekly briefing.