4 killed in clashes between Turkish troops, PKK

One soldier of the Turkish security forces and three members of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) were killed and two soldiers wounded in clashes in northeastern Turkey on Sunday, local Hurriyet reported.

The clashes erupted when the security forces were staging a military operation in Kars province, according to the report.

The wounded were sent to hospital for medical treatment, the report said, adding that the Turkish security forces had launched a large-scale military operation against the PKK militants in the region.

On Saturday, one Turkish soldier was killed in clashes between the Turkish security forces and the PKK militants in Semdinli town of Hakkari province in southeastern Turkey, private Dogan news agency reported.

Tensions between Turkish security forces and the PKK are increasing following a tumultuous week which began with an Islamic State (IS) suicide bombing on July 20 killing 32 individuals and injuring 104 activists in the town of Suruc in the Sanliurfa province bordering Syria.

According to a statement by the Turkish prime minister's office, Turkish security forces have detained over 1,300 individuals with suspected ties to IS, PKK and leftist groups, whilst the military unleashed several rounds of air strikes on PKK posts in northern Iraq.