Turkish president offers condolences for 11 martyred soldiers

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extended condolences to the grieving families of 11 soldiers who were martyred in a military helicopter crash in eastern Turkey on Thursday.

"As a result of the crash of a military helicopter on its way from Bingöl to Tatvan in Bitlis, 11 of our children were martyred.

"I wish Allah's mercy upon our heroic martyrs and quick recovery to wounded," Erdoğan said on Twitter.

Earlier, at least 11 Turkish soldiers, including a senior officer, were martyred and two others injured as a military helicopter crashed in Bitlis province.

The contact with the Cougar-type military helicopter, which took off from the eastern Bingol province for the Tatvan district of Bitlis at 1.55 p.m. local time (1055GMT), was lost at 2.25 p.m. (1125GMT).

Erdoğan also spoke over the phone with Yiğitalp Erbaş, the son of the martyred Lt. Gen. Osman Erbaş, Turkey's Directorate of Communications said in a statement.

The president expressed his deep regret that Osman Erbaş, who provided vital services to the country and the nation, lost his life in a painful accident, the statement said.

He wished God's mercy upon the martyred commander and offered his condolences to his family and loved ones, it added.