Three Kurds killed, Turkey strikes rebel bases

Turkish warplanes have bombed Kurdish rebel bases in Turkey and northern Iraq, the army said Tuesday, as officials announced the first militant deaths since the government swept back to power at the weekend.

 Ankara also ruled out an immediate resumption of peace talks that have been stalled since tit-for-tat violence erupted in July, shattering a 2013 ceasefire.

 The military said it had targeted bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Monday in the southeastern Hakkari province, as well as several northern Iraqi regions including their main stronghold on Qandil mountain.

 "Shelters, caves and arms depots identified as being used by terrorists from the separatist terrorist organisation were destroyed with air bombardments," the military said.

 The operation was launched just after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a surprise victory in Sunday's election.

 Officials said Tuesday that three Kurdish militants had been killed in clashes with security forces in the restive southeast.

 In the Silvan district of the Kurdish-dominated Diyarbakir province, a 22-year-old suspected PKK member died after clashes that erupted Monday when security forces swooped on trenches and barricades put up by the PKK and imposed a curfew.

 Another two members of the PKK youth branch were killed in the Yuksekova district of Hakkari province when police launched similar action there, security sources reportedly said.

Caption: Representative image

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