Five PKK terrorists killed in clashes

Turkish state TV reported that clashes occurred near the southeastern town of Çukurca in Hakkari province early on Monday. Çukurca is located in the country's southeast where the borders of Iraq, Iran and Turkey meet.

In similar clashes, two members of the PKK were also killed by Turkish security forces near Tendürek Dağı Valley in Ağrı province’s Diyadin district on Monday. The clashes came after days of pursuit by security forces following an attack on the headquarters of Diyadin Provincial Gendarmerie Command on June 8 by a group of suspected PKK members.

The Cihan news agency reported that security forces demanded the group surrender but were then met with armed resistance. The report said two PKK members were killed in clashes.

The PKK, which is fighting for autonomy in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast, was founded on Marxist ideology. Turkey has been conducting air strikes on PKK camps in Iraq's northern mountains and inside Turkey since August of last year, following an increase in attacks on Turkish troops and civilians by the PKK, which has been fighting for autonomy for Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast since 1984.

The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The group is labeled a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, which has supplied Predator drones to assist Turkey.