Fighting with members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) broke out near the town of Baskale, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the Iranian border, the sources said.

The PKK, which has been battling the Turkish army since 1984, ordered a unilateral ceasefire from October 1, saying it hoped this would pave the way for talks to resolve the conflict.

But the truce, like previous ones called by the rebels, was rejected by Turkey.

Fighting has nonetheless decreased markedly since then.

More than 37,000 people have died since the PKK, considered a terrorist group by by Turkey and much of the international community, took up arms for self-rule in the mainly Kurdish southeast of the country.