Three soldiers martyred in southeastern Turkey

Three soldiers have been martyred in an attack blamed on the PKK in Sirnak province, southeastern Turkey.

The Turkish Armed Forces said on Sunday that a handmade explosive device went off at about 2.40 p.m. local time (1240 GMT) as an armored vehicle passed through the Nur neighborhood of Cizre district.

Sunday's statement said that three soldiers died while another soldier and a police officer were hurt. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Turkey's military blamed “separatist terror organization members”, a reference to the PKK.

The PKK -- considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its armed campaign in late July.

Since then, more than 200 members of the security forces have been martyred and over 1,700 PKK terrorists killed.

Anadolu Agency