Turkish security forces kill 10 Kurdish rebels

Turkish security forces killed 10 Kurdish rebels and confiscated explosives and weapons in south-eastern Turkey, local officials said today.

The four-day operation in a triangle of the south-eastern cities of Van, Sirnak and Hakkari began on Wednesday and was aimed at rooting out members of the autonomy-seeking Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, the Sirnak governor's office said.

The 10 rebels were killed when they opened fire on security forces who called for their surrender outside Sirnak, authorities said.

On Saturday, a bombing of a minibus in the Aegean coastal resort town of Kusadasi killed five people, including a British and an Irish tourist. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack, and although suspicion fell on Kurdish guerrillas, the main rebel group quickly denied responsibility.

Last week, however, a group calling itself the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, believed to be linked to the PKK, claimed responsibility for a bombing in the resort town of Cesme that wounded 21 people.

The Sirnak governor's office said that security forces confiscated 55lbs of C3/C4 explosives - the type which has been used in bombings across Turkey - as well as 18 hand grenades, several machine guns and a rocket-propelled grenade.

Turkish military police also found and defused another 11lbs of C4 explosives planted on a road near Tunceli, eastern Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The explosives were linked to a remote-controlled detonation device, and were said to be strong enough to tear through armoured vehicles, the agency reported.

Kurdish guerrillas have been fighting for autonomy in the country's east and south-east since 1984.

The clashes have left more than 37,000 people dead. Violence has increased markedly in Turkey in the past few months, with Kurdish rebels detonating bombs and land mines.

The rebels have also become increasingly bold in their attacks. Earlier this week, they set up a roadblock and kidnapped a Turkish soldier in eastern Turkey. The military sent more than 1,000 troops on a mission to look for him, but the soldier's whereabouts remain unknown.

Yesterday, the Germany-based Mezopotamya News Agency reported that the soldier, Coskun Kirandi, said he missed home but was being treated well. The agency often carries statements from the rebel group.

At least 30 soldiers have been killed and 41 others injured in the south-east since May, many of them by explosions of bombs or mines believed planted by Kurdish rebels.