The attack ocurred in the village of Kocakoc in the province of Tunceli.

No other details were immediately available.

Rebels from the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is active in Tunceli, have often targeted military outposts in the region.

In June, seven soldiers and a militant were killed when a group of PKK rebels attacked an outpost in Tunceli with hand grenades and firearms.

In a separate incident Tuesday, another soldier was killed in clashes between the army and the PKK in the southeastern province of Sirnak, security sources said.

The PKK, considered a terrorist organisation by Ankara and much of the international community, has notably stepped up violence this year.

The group has been fighting for self-rule in Turkey's mainly Kurdish east and southeast since 1984. The conflict has claimed more than 37,000 lives.