BITLIS, Turkey

A village chief was found shot dead Wednesday after having been abducted by the PKK terrorist organization 45 days ago in the eastern province of Bitlis, the governor's office confirmed.

According to initial reports, Salih Guven, the chief of Boluklu village in Hizan district was abducted from his home on Sept. 25 by a group of PKK terrorists, and was found shot dead Wednesday morning, the statement said.

Guven's body was found near Hizan upon a tipoff, and the body was later identified by Guven's relatives in hospital, it added.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July last year.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks have martyred more than 700 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while nearly 8,000 PKK terrorists were killed in army operations.