"In the operations underway on February 23... 35 terrorists have been rendered ineffective," the general staff said in a statement on its web site, adding that two Turkish soldiers also were killed.

It said the death toll did not include Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants killed in bombings or by artillery fire.

The figures bring to 79 the total number of PKK members killed since Turkey launched a ground offensive into northern Iraq on Thursday evening to crack down on rebel PKK hideouts, the statement said.

Another five soldiers were killed previously.