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Kurd rebel leader killed in skirmish with Turkish forces

ANKARA, Aug 5, 2007 (AFP) - A Kurdish rebel from Turkey's separatist Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) was killed Sunday by security forces in the Turkish southwest, a military statement said.

The rebel died during a morning skirmish in a mountainous area close to both the Syrian and Iraqi borders, according to the official statement posted on the Internet.

The PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Ankara, the United States and the European Union, has increased attacks against security forces in southwestern Turkey since the beginning of 2007.

Since its inception in 1984, the armed PKK has fought for self-rule in a struggle that has cost more than 37,000 lives.