Authorities in Turkey say five soldiers were killed during two clashes with guerrillas Sunday in the southeastern portion of the country where Kurdish fighters are active.
Four soldiers, including a sergeant, died in a gunbattle near the city of Sirnak. Officials say a fifth soldier was killed when armed rebels attacked a military post in nearby Bingol province.
Kurdish rebels had said on August 20 they would observe a cease-fire for one month in an attempt to start peace talks, but the Turkish government rejected the truce.
The rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has been fighting for an autonomous homeland in Kurdish-dominated areas of southeast Turkey. More than 37,000 people have been killed in fighting and attacks since 1984.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
