PKK kidnaps three in southeastern Turkey

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ISTANBUL, Turkey, June 7 (UPI) -- The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party blocked a road in southeastern Turkey and kidnapped three people, including a soldier, authorities said.

Members of the group, known by its Kurdish-language initials PKK, stopped about 30 vehicles on a road leading to the Diyarbakır-Bingol Highway Wednesday night, Today's Zaman reported.

Among those abducted was Turkish Gendarmerie Pvt. Ali Sabanci, who had been heading to his hometown, Gaziantep, while on leave.

PKK members forced people to get out of their vehicles and spoke about the group, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Operations to rescue the abductees were under way.

Today's Zaman said the PKK has kidnapped dozens of civilians in the past few weeks.

The PKK, which seeks an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey, is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, the European Union and NATO.