"We are deeply saddened by the death of Turkish soldiers who were killed in Hakkari province. We express our condolences to the families and the friends of the victims," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"We stand with Turkey in its fight against the PKK, a designated terrorist organization which has claimed tens of thousands of Turkish lives," Nuland said.

"We support Turkey in its fight against terror, and we will continue to work with the government of Turkey to combat terrorism in all forms," she added.

Kurdish rebels killed eight Turkish soldiers and a village guard on Wednesday in an ambush in the southeast of the country, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.

The attack took place in the Cukurca region of Hakkari province, close to the border with Iraq. Eleven others were injured, he added.

Village guards are locals armed by the state to help the Turkish army in its campaign against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Local sources said two mine explosions in different spots caused the incident, adding that an operation was launched against the rebels immediately after the attack.

The PKK claimed responsibility for the attack.