Fifteen Kurdish militants were killed in a village raid by Turkish security forces, provincial officials said Saturday, CNN reported.
The incident occurred in eastern Turkey's Bitlis province
One guard was also killed and three other guards were injured in the clashes at three shelters near the village of Asagicobansuyu.
The shelters were used by "separatist terrorist" organizations, a term used in official statements for the PKK, or the Kurdistan Workers Party.
Turkey, the United States and the European Union have formally labeled the PKK a terrorist organization.
The government operations were launched Friday, officials said.