Turkish truck drivers attacked on route between Turkmenistan, Iran

A group of Turkish truck drivers has been attacked in the buffer zone between Turkmenistan and Iran and one driver lost an eye, HDP deputy Habip Eksik said. Eksik presented a series of parliamentary questions to Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan about the attack, and said that a group of truck drivers told him that their vehicles had been damaged near the Sarakhs border crossing.

Monday April 19 2021 03:25 pm

Duvar English

Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Habip Eksik said that a group of truck drivers was attacked in the buffer zone between Turmenistan and Iran, and that one driver lost an eye, the daily BirGün reported on April 19.

Eksik presented a series of parliamentary questions to Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan about the attack, and said that a group of truck drivers had told him that their vehicles were damaged near the Sarakhs border crossing.

"Truck drivers were harassed by Iranian drivers, law enforcement and officers. Most recently, Hakan Akkuş was attacked by Iranian drivers and lost his eye," Eksik said, adding that Iranian authorities consecutively confiscated Akkuş's vehicle.

Noting that the products in the vehicles had been loaded in Turkey, Eksik asked Pekcan why Akkuş was attacked, whether the government had spoken with the Iranian government about the attack or with Akkuş himself.

The deputy also asked whether the Turkish government covered Akkuş's medical expenses, what happened to Akkuş's vehicle and whether the state would do anything to protect Turkish license plates in the area in question.