The ministry said the incident took place on Sunday in an area where Turkish forces are deployed as part of Operation Claw-Lock.

Two of the soldiers died at the scene, while the third succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.

Operation Claw-Lock, an air and ground offensive that targets hideouts of the PKK in the Metina region of Iraq, was launched in April 2022.

The PKK, which has been waging a bloody campaign in Turkey’s Southeast since 1984, is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community.