"Europe expresses its complete solidarity with the Turkish authorities and offers its condolences to the families and friends of the victims," it said, in a statement released by the Union's French presidency.

Friday's attack by Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) guerrillas also left 23 rebels dead and increased the likelihood of Turkish reprisal raids against the group's rearbases in northern Iraq.

"The presidency reiterates that the European Union stands resolutely beside Turkey in its battle against the PKK, an organisation that figures on Europe's lists of terrorist groups and entities," the statement said.