Turkey security forces kill 5 PKK militants in firefight

Five militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) were killed Saturday in clashes with the Turkish security forces in Agri province of eastern Turkey, the Turkish military said in a statement.

The Turkish security forces and a group of PKK rebels exchanged fire in Agri province after four Turkish soldiers were wounded in an armed attack by PKK militants, said the statement, adding that the Turkish troops killed five PKK militants and injured one.

The wounded Turkish soldiers were treated in Agri State hospital, said the statement.

The PKK militants opened fire on Turkish soldiers early Saturday as they were moving to Yukaritutek village near Diyadin district of Agri upon intelligence that the PKK group will organize an event named "Spring Festival," the Turkish Armed Forces said.

According to the intelligence, the PKK was planning to put pressure on citizens in the festival to vote for the candidates affiliated with the group in the upcoming parliament elections.

"The army promptly responded to the attack, but four military personnel were injured," the statement said.

The clashes came three weeks after the jailed leader of the PKK Abdullah Ocalan called on his followers to hold a congress "to end decades-long armed struggle" with Turkey, a move as part of a peace process involving negotiations between the government and Ocalan.

The country will hold the general elections on June 7. The PKK-affiliated Peoples' Democratic Party aims to come over 10 percent election threshold so as to get at least 50 seats in the parliament. Endit