Al Jazeera English - Europe - Turkish soldiers die in PKK clashes

Al Jazeera English - Europe - Turkish soldiers die in PKK clashes: "Turkish soldiers die in PKK clashes
Turkish soldiers carry out incursions into northern
Iraq to target PKK fighters [AFP]

At least four Turkish soldiers have been killed in clashes with fighters from the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in the southeast of the country near its borders with Iran and Iraq, the military has said.

The Turkish military said on Thursday that five PKK fighters were also killed in separate fighting.

Clashes on Wednesday in the town of Kavakli in the Hakkari province between a Turkish army unit and PKK fighters left four soldiers dead, the military said in a statement.

Another soldier was killed and 15 others wounded, including a brigade general, when a helicopter bringing reinforcements to the combat zone crashed accidentally, according to the statement.

PKK casualties

Five PKK fighters were also killed in clashes with Turkish security forces in the towns of Semdinli and Sirnak, near the Iraqi border, the military said.

Turkish planes have been regularly bombing PKK hideouts across the border in northern Iraq since an October 3 attack against a Turkish border outpost that killed 17 soldiers.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community, took up arms for Kurdish self-rule in the southea"