38 killed in rebel-army fighting in Turkey

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ANKARA, Oct 4 (AFP): Fifteen Turkish soldiers and 23 Kurdish rebels were killed during a rebel attack on a military post near the Iraqi border, the Anatolia news agency quoted an army spokesman as saying Saturday.
Two other soldiers remained unaccounted for after Friday's attack on the post in Semdinli town in Hakkari province, General Metin Gurak, the head of the general staff's press department, said.
The military says the overnight battle in southern Turkey involved heavy weapons fired by the rebels at a Turkish military outpost in Aktutun.
The private TV station CNN-Turk says the Turkish military fought back, killing 23 Kurdish rebels.
Turkey's military confirmed in a statement that its soldiers returned fire, killing some rebels, but said it could not immediately say how many.
It appeared to be the deadliest attack by Kurdish rebels against Turkey's military in several months. The rebels, based in south Turkey and north Iraq, have been fighting for autonomy since 1984.