Ankara, Nov 11 (IANS): At least 17 people, including 13 soldiers, were killed and others wounded in Turkey's Siirt province Saturday after a military helicopter crashed in the morning, Xinhua reported.
According to Siirt governor Ahmet Aydin, the helicopter belonging to the Turkish Gendarmerie crashed in Pervari town's Herekol mountain, killing 13 soldiers and four helicopter personnel, reported Dogan news agency.
Turkish Gendarmerie is a branch of the Turkish armed forces and responsible for the maintenance of public order in areas falling outside the jurisdiction of police forces, as well as assuring internal security and general border control.