The soldiers were killed during an attack by the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which launched a raid from northern Iraq, the BBC reported.

Turkish military officials told the broadcaster that their troops managed to kill 23 rebels during the confrontation, which was described as a surprise strike on a military outpost by guerrillas using heavy weapons.

The BBC said Turkey has begun to stage military incursions across the border into northern Iraq to battle Kurdish separatists since the start of this year.