Eight Turkish military personnel have died in clashes with Kurdish rebels and in a subsequent helicopter crash near the country’s border with Iraq, Turkey’s military said Friday. At least six rebels were also killed in the fighting.

Clashes broke out with rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, near the town of Cukurca, in Hakkari province, early on Friday, killing six soldiers, a military statement said. Eight other soldiers were wounded.

A military helicopter sent to the area to support the soldiers later crashed, killing its two pilots, the military said, adding that the crash was due to a technical fault.

Fighting between the PKK and the government forces picked up again in July when a more than two-year old peace process collapsed. Around 400 security force members have died since then.

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