Turkish soldier dies in PKK clash

Sporadic clashes continue to plague parts of eastern Turkey

A Turkish soldier was killed during a clash with Kurdish rebels near the country's south-eastern border with Iraq, Turkish officials say.

The fighting took place in a mountainous area of Sirnak province late on Wednesday.

The military said earlier that Turkish warplanes had hit rebels reported to be trying to cross the border.

More than 30,000 people have died since the PKK began fighting for self-rule in south-east Turkey in 1984.

Turkey, the EU and US consider the PKK to be a terrorist organisation.

In a separate incident, police said on Thursday that they had detained two men carrying explosives near a major train station in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated south-east, according to the AFP news agency.

The men - whom police said were suspected PKK members - were arrested in Diyarbakir, the largest city in the region, used by the army to ferry soldiers and military equipment.

Police believed the men were planning to plant a bomb in the station.