Three Turkish soldiers killed in PKK clashes

ANKARA: Three Turkish soldiers were killed and another wounded Sunday in clashes with Kurdish militants belonging to the outlawed PKK group in southeast Turkey, the private news agency DHA reported.

The fighting occurred in Hakkari province, nestled up against the Iraqi and Iranian borders, DHA said, adding that three militants -- which it termed "terrorists" -- were also killed. Turkey has been fighting the PKK or Kurdistan Workers' Party since a fragile ceasefire between both sides collapsed in 2015.

The group is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, Nato and the European Union. The Kurdish insurgency led by the PKK has claimed more than 40,000 lives since it began in 1984. The PKK is mainly active in southeast Turkey, and it has rear bases in mountainous zones over the border in northern Iraq. Turkey’s military launched an offensive in May seeking to destroy those rear bases. A second phase of that operation was started on Friday.