Istanbul - Two Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in south-eastern Turkey, the Turkish news agency CNN-Turk reported Friday.

According to the reports, the soldiers were killed in the clash near Mount Cudi near the Iraqi border Friday.

The Turkish army claims that during a ground offensive in February against PKK strongholds in northern Iraq it killed 240 PKK fighers.

At least 24 Turkish soldiers were killed during the week-long offensive which was confined to the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Three village gaurds employed by Turkey were also killed in the operation.

The PKK is considered by the United States and the European Union to be a terrorist group. (dpa)