Turkish forces killed 15 female Kurdish rebel fighters in clashes in southeast Turkey, officials said Saturday, March 24, in what is believed to be the largest one-day casualty toll for women since their guerrilla group began fighting for autonomy nearly 28 years ago.

As AP reports citing private Dogan news agency, the clashes occurred in a mainly Kurdish province of Bitlis, and in addition to the women it killed a government-paid village guard helping Turkish forces and wounded three others, the government said. The agency said the clashes occurred all day Friday.

The PKK is believed to have several female units. Female PKK militants carried out suicide bombings in 1990s, killing dozens of troops and civilians.

Many female fighters have been killed alongside male comrades in clashes, but Saturday's toll was the highest number of female PKK casualties killed in clashes at any one time.