The conflict occured Monday night in the southeastern province of Batman, when police units followed a car in the city centre they suspected was carrying members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), security sources said.

A pregnant woman and her six-year-old daughter were killed in the ensuing cross-fire, while her husband and eight-year-old son were wounded as the family drove through the battle zone, sources said.

Three police officers were injured, Batman governor's office said, Anatolia news agency reported.

The baby of the slain woman has survived, it added.

Clashes between Kurdish rebels and security forces have escalated recently, causing civilian deaths.

Earlier this month, four people died in the city of Semdinli in southeast Turkey, while four others were killed in Siirt when rebels opened fire on a civilian car during an attack to a police college.

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