A captain and two specialist sergeants were killed and another lieutenant colonel was wounded, while at least three fighters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were killed.

However the militants’ affiliation was not revealed, but the PKK fighters are usually active in the area bordering Iran.

The Turkish interior ministry said that the encounter was a part of the newly-declared Operation Yildirim-10.

The PKK military wing, Peoples’ Defense Forces (HPG) is yet to comment on the clash.

On June 15, Turkey began a combined air and ground campaign in the Kurdistan Region and northern Iraq, which it said is designed to target the PKK. At least five civilians and an uncertain number of PKK and Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) fighters have been killed since then, Ahval reported.

On September 9, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced that it has wrapped up elements of its ongoing military campaign in the Kurdistan Region and northern Iraq.

At least nine civilians have been killed and several others have been seriously wounded during the campaign, leading to widespread criticism about whether Ankara was doing enough to avoid civilian casualties.

The PKK has been fighting a decades-long conflict against the Turkish government, which has claimed the lives of an estimated 40,000 people and casualties in the ranks of the PKK and Turkish army and security forces.

Reporter’s code: 50101