Turkey will be "cleaned of terrorists no matter what happens", Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday, Anadolu agency reported.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara the day after an attack by PKK terrorists saw 16 soldiers martyred in the deadliest attack since the PKK renewed its armed campaign at the end of July, Davutoglu said: "These mountains will be cleaned of terrorists. No matter what happens they will be cleaned.
"The mountains, plains, plateaus and cities of this country will not be abandoned to the terrorists."
Davutoglu said the soldiers were initially fired on before being targeted with explosives.
The Turkish military said earlier the patrol was clearing the Daglica to Yuksekova road in the southeastern province of Hakkari on Sunday evening when they were attacked with improvised roadside devices as two armored vehicles passed.
Six other soldiers were wounded in the attack.