Soldier killed in clash

Agence France-Presse

The clash occurred on rural ground near Dicle town in Diyarbakır province, where the army had launched an operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, earlier this week, the sources said.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community, took up arms in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 45,000 lives.

Turkey's army chief said Tuesday the PKK had lost strength in recent months amid defections, infighting and shrinking safe havens in the mountains of neighboring northern Iraq.