At least seven Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday, October 4, when a roadside bomb was detonated inside the Batman Province in southeast Turkey, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to a report from the Turkish Ministry of Defense, the soldiers were traveling through the town of Gercus in the Batman Province, when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb.

The attack was blamed on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who have carried out similar operations in the past.

The PKK and Turkish military have been involved in a fierce conflict for years, despite diplomatic attempts to end the decades long feud.

Turkey is currently carrying out military operations in Iraq and Syria to target the group and its offshoots.