EIGHT Turkish military personnel were killed during a clash with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels yesterday, the military said.

A Turkish army representative claimed at least six rebels were killed after clashes broke out in the early morning near the Iraqi border town of Cukurca in Hakkari province.

Six turkish soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in the fighting. A military helicopter sent to the area to support the soldiers then crashed, killing its two pilots, due to a technical fault.