ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) military wing on Saturday denied responsibility for planting a bomb that killed a Danish cyclist after his bicycle struck the explosive on Thursday.
Two Danish cyclists, 28-year-olds Torbjorn Haubroe Methmann and Johannes William Karlsson, entered the Kurdistan Region through Sarzere border crossing from Turkey but steered off their way, heading to an unpaved road between Kamberke and Barukhi villages in Kani Masi, where a roadside bomb exploded on Methmann's bike and Karlsson rushed to local authorities for help.
Shortly after, a health official told Rudaw English that the cyclist succumbed to his injuries and passed away, with the Danish foreign ministry also confirming to Rudaw via phone call on Friday that the cyclist had died.
"The area where the incident happened is not where we are and our movement is not there. We do not use land mines," the People's Defense Forces (HPG) said in a statement, further calling on the incident to be investigated and affirming that their forces "have nothing to do with this incident."
PKK's denial of involvement contradicts a statement by Duhok police, who claimed that the mine that exploded on the Danish tourist had been planted by the PKK, urging tourists "to avoid suspected [contaminated] areas."
The road has remained unused by people for years due to PKK-Turkey clashes.
Rudaw has learned that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Danish government are in contact to return the dead body of Methmann to Denmark.
Two Danish cyclists, 28-year-olds Torbjorn Haubroe Methmann and Johannes William Karlsson, entered the Kurdistan Region through Sarzere border crossing from Turkey but steered off their way, heading to an unpaved road between Kamberke and Barukhi villages in Kani Masi, where a roadside bomb exploded on Methmann's bike and Karlsson rushed to local authorities for help.
Shortly after, a health official told Rudaw English that the cyclist succumbed to his injuries and passed away, with the Danish foreign ministry also confirming to Rudaw via phone call on Friday that the cyclist had died.
"The area where the incident happened is not where we are and our movement is not there. We do not use land mines," the People's Defense Forces (HPG) said in a statement, further calling on the incident to be investigated and affirming that their forces "have nothing to do with this incident."
PKK's denial of involvement contradicts a statement by Duhok police, who claimed that the mine that exploded on the Danish tourist had been planted by the PKK, urging tourists "to avoid suspected [contaminated] areas."
The road has remained unused by people for years due to PKK-Turkey clashes.
Rudaw has learned that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Danish government are in contact to return the dead body of Methmann to Denmark.
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