(KUNA) -- Five Turkish soldiers died Saturday in clashes with armed men from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in mainly-Kurdish areas in southeast Turkey.Ikhlas news agency, quoting Turkish security sources, said during an ambush operation by Kurdish rebels, three Turkish soldiers from Turkey's Special Forces unit died.
On another front, a statement issued by Hakari regional office said two Turkish soldiers died and another two were injured in armed clashes with Kurds from the PKK in the town of Tashkorjah.
In recent days, the Turkish Army has deployed troops along the borders with Iraq in preparation for a full attack on the PKK activists, who repeatedly cross the border to fight Turkish forces and attack other targets.
Ankara blames the PKK for attacks and killings of more than 37,000 people since 1984, when the Kurdish movement started a violent campaign for separation of southeastern Turkey.