The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorists have killed at least 26 Turkish soldiers in attacks in the country's southeast, Press TV reports.
The attacks were carried out overnight in the Cukurca district of the southeastern province of Hakkari, a Press TV correspondent reported Wednesday.
More than 100 PKK terror elements attacked bases of Turkish security forces in various areas in the district.
Turkish army announced that it launched airstrikes in response to the attacks. Armed clashes between the attackers and Turkish security forces continued through dawn.
Eighteen security forces were also injured in the clashes and were taken to the Hakkari Military Hospital.
Turkish military sources said that commandos also crossed into northern Iraq after PKK attacks.
In response to the incident, Turkish President Abdullah Gul has vowed that his country would engage in a "heavy revenge" on the terrorists.
Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled his planned trip to Kazakhstan due to the attacks, the premier's office announced.
PKK is a separatist terrorist group that launched an armed insurgency in 1984 for a separate Kurdish homeland in Turkey's southeast.
The Turkish government says some 2,000 PKK elements are operating close to the Turkish-Iraqi border in northern Iraq.
Listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and most of the international community, PKK is held responsible by Turkey for the loss of nearly 45,000 lives over the past two decades.
The Kurd militants reportedly launch their attacks from Iraq's Qandil Mountains in areas controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The attacks were carried out overnight in the Cukurca district of the southeastern province of Hakkari, a Press TV correspondent reported Wednesday.
More than 100 PKK terror elements attacked bases of Turkish security forces in various areas in the district.
Turkish army announced that it launched airstrikes in response to the attacks. Armed clashes between the attackers and Turkish security forces continued through dawn.
Eighteen security forces were also injured in the clashes and were taken to the Hakkari Military Hospital.
Turkish military sources said that commandos also crossed into northern Iraq after PKK attacks.
In response to the incident, Turkish President Abdullah Gul has vowed that his country would engage in a "heavy revenge" on the terrorists.
Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled his planned trip to Kazakhstan due to the attacks, the premier's office announced.
PKK is a separatist terrorist group that launched an armed insurgency in 1984 for a separate Kurdish homeland in Turkey's southeast.
The Turkish government says some 2,000 PKK elements are operating close to the Turkish-Iraqi border in northern Iraq.
Listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and most of the international community, PKK is held responsible by Turkey for the loss of nearly 45,000 lives over the past two decades.
The Kurd militants reportedly launch their attacks from Iraq's Qandil Mountains in areas controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government.