The rebel, a member of the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), was shot dead in southeastern Sirnak province, close to the border with Iraq on Monday, the security forces sources said.

The incident came as violent clashes marked the founding of the PKK, with a teenager shot in the chest in one of several demonstrations.

The violence erupted Sunday and continued Monday in areas with significant Kurdish populations, Turkish media reported.

The outlawed PKK was founded in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan, who was jailed for life for treason and separatism, and is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community.

The PKK took up arms in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 45,000 lives.

It has gone from seeking full independence for the Kurdish region to calling for regional autonomy and better cultural rights for Kurds.

Ankara has recently announced measures aimed at improving Kurdish rights in the hope of undermining support for the party.