DIYARBAKIR Turkish Army troops killed another 15 Kurdish rebels in clashes with the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the Anatolia Province, local military officials said Monday. The rebels were killed Sunday as part of a Turkish Army military offensive against the Kurds codenamed Murat which since being launched at the end of April has now claimed 82 rebel lives, according to reports.

According to the army, just three soldiers lives have been lost during the operation. In separate action, the army said it had killed nine rebels on Mount Cudi on Turkey's border with Syria, when helicopters were used. More than 40,000 troops were taking part in the operation in the eastern provinces of Elazig, Bingol and Mus and the southeast province of Diyarbakir. For several years, the Turkish Army has carried out major sweeps against the rebels in the spring to prevent them from reorganizing after the winter months.

Turkey's Chief of General Staff, Ismail Hakki Karadayi, last week announced that the PKK was 95 percent finished after the latest army campaigns. More than 29,000 people have died in the war. (AFP)