Turkey 'kills 16 Kurdish rebels'

Turkey has stepped up operations against the PKK in recent months

Turkey says its troops have killed seven more members of the Kurdish guerrilla group, the PKK, in fighting in the southeastern province of Sirnak.

It brings to 16 the number of rebels Turkey says it has killed since Monday in a sweep near the border with Iraq.

Military officials say three soldiers have also died in clashes.

In recent months Turkey has increased its operations against the PKK, and has launched several air strikes and a ground offensive in northern Iraq.

Last week Turkey said it had killed fifteen members of the PKK in artillery and aerial bombardments there.

Ankara maintains that the PKK use bases in northern Iraq to launch attacks against Turkey.

More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began fighting for self-rule in the mainly Kurdish area of southeast Turkey in 1984.