A Turkish serviceman was killed in a firefight on the border with Iran in the southeastern province of Hakkari. The incident occurred on October 31 during an operation to prevent an illegal crossing, Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense said, as quoted by Turkish television channel NTV.
The deceased was Private First Class Yusuf Sait Ünlu. At the ministry’s weekly briefing, it was announced that investigations had been launched by both the Turkish and Iranian sides.
“The operation to clarify the incident is continuing in coordination with the Iranian authorities,” Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense said.According to Turkish investigators, the shot that caused the serviceman’s death was fired from the Iranian side. This is an assessment made as part of the ongoing investigation, not a conclusively established fact.
Turkish and Iranian officials met at the scene
On November 3, Turkish and Iranian officials held a meeting at the scene of the incident. The two sides are examining the circumstances surrounding the firefight and the origin of the shot.
Turkey and Iran share a 534-kilometer border. In recent years, Ankara has stepped up security in the border areas by building concrete walls, trenches and observation towers.
According to Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense, as of January 2026, around 380 kilometers of concrete walls and 553 kilometers of trenches had been built along the border with Iran. The facilities are part of measures against illegal migration and smuggling.
Sources: bta.bg, bursadabugun.com