Turkish defense chief visits SE province amid blast

Turkey’s defense minister Friday visited southeastern Hakkari province where at least 25 soldiers were injured by an accidental explosion of defective ammunition.

Hulusi Akar was accompanied by Turkish Chief of General Staff Yasar Guler and the commander of Turkish Land Forces Umit Dundar.

The Turkish National Defense Ministry said earlier Friday: "Twenty-five of our military personnel were injured today at the Ortaklar Sungu Tepe military base in the Semdinli district when defective ammunition detonated during artillery shooting."

The injured are being treated at a hospital while rescue workers are trying to reach seven missing soldiers, it added.

A court imposed a broadcast ban on the incident to prevent misinformation.