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ANKARA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three Turkish soldiers were killed on Saturday in clashes with the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey near Iraqi border, said a Turkish military statement.
The three soldiers from special forces, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed and six others wounded in the two-day clashes in Daglica town of Hakkari province, said the statement.
Meanwhile, 17 PKK militants were killed in the clashes, said the statement.
The PKK declared unilateral cease-fire last week, saying that they will avoid armed actions unless they face an attack.
Tension has been running high, especially in southeastern Turkey, amid a major military operation against PKK militants since July when a truce fell apart.
Over 2,000 PKK militants have been killed since July in over 4,300 operations of Turkish security forces, the Turkish Interior Minister Selami Altinok said earlier last week.
The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.
