Türkiye arrests two suspects in killing of Bulgarian border officer

Two suspects were arrested by Turkish security forces in connection to the shooting death of a Bulgarian officer at the border with Türkiye.

Bulgaria's Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said that the officer was shot to death by gunfire while trying to cross into his country from Türkiye, which is a member of the European Union, EU Reporter informed on November 11.

The governor's office of Edirne, a Turkish border province, stated that the suspects had a shotgun as well as the shells used in the shooting. The statement did not provide any further details.

Demerdzhiev claimed that shots were fired from Turkish territory on Monday night at a border officer and a soldier patrolling a part of the country’s southeastern frontier, near Golyam Dervent.

A police officer was inspecting the border fence and died at the scene. According to Bulgarian officials, the serviceman was not injured and returned fire after hearing about 10-15 shots. A group of suspected migrants then retreated.

Dermendzhiev, rushing to the scene of the incident, said: "This is a criminal and extreme aggression."

He said: "From now on we will not be complacent towards anyone who endangers the health or life of our officers."

It was unclear at this time how big the group was or whether any of them opened fire on the soldier and officer.

Dermendzhiev stated that Turkish authorities had promised to cooperate with him and to seek out the perpetrators, and that he would also ask them to fight human trafficking more actively.

To combat the growing influx of migrants, Bulgaria has sent 350 troops to its southern border with Türkiye.

Bulgaria is located on one of the main routes that migrants from Afghanistan and the Middle East use to get into the European Union. Many migrants don't intend to remain in the poorest member of the bloc, but instead, move to wealthier countries in West Europe.