ANKARA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- One officer of the Turkish security forces was killed in a clash with the militants of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in eastern Turkey, Turkey's private NTV reported on Friday.

    The report said that the clash occurred when the security forces found the PKK militants in Genc toan of Bingol province later Thursday.

    Two PKK members were also killed during the clash, said the report, adding that the Turkish soldier was seriously wounded, but died later.

    The PKK rebels have battled more than two decades for autonomy in southeastern Turkey and they use strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border raids. About 40,000 people have been killed in the over-two-decade conflict.