Three rebels from the illegal Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed after opening fire on helicopters patrolling Bestler-Dereler in Sernak Province on the Iraq border, a statement from the local governor said.

The army then seized 100 grenades and 56 kilograms (123 pounds) of explosives in the region, the document added.

The PPK announced a new unilateral ceasefire in October 1 last year but it was rejected by Turkish authorities whose army has vowed to track down the rebels to the last man.

Fighting has nonetheless markedly decreased since then.

The PKK has ordered several truces in the past, all of which have been rejected by Ankara. The last started in 1999 and ended in June 2004.

More than 37,000 people have died since the start of the rebellion in 1984.