The PKK members have held the hostages since 2015 when they kidnapped members of Turkey’s police, intelligence, and armed forces.

“According to preliminary investigations, it was determined that 13 of our innocent and unarmed citizens were shot in the head and martyred while another was shot in the shoulder and martyred,” Akar said.

The bodies of the victims were brought to Malatya Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy and identification later in the day.

Malatya’s Governor Aydin Baruş made a statement regarding the identification of the security forces killed by the PKK members in the cave.

According to the statement, the names of the victims who have been identified are as follows: Specialist sergeant Hüseyin Sarı, police officer Sedat Yabalak, staff sergeant Semih Özbey, private soldier Adil Kabakçı, police officer Vedat Kaya, gendarmerie private Süleyman Sungur, specialist sergeant Mevlüt Kahveci, private soldier Müslim Altıntas, Aydın Köse and Muhammet Salih Kanca.

The identification process for three other victims is continuing, Baruş said.