Turkish soldiers killed in helicopter crash

Seventeen soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash in southeast Turkey, Turkish officials have said.

The helicopter went down due to bad weather conditions in the Siirt province, according to local officials and state media.

Siirt Governor Ahmet Aydin also said the victims were members of Turkish special forces.

The Turkish military is active in the south-east, fighting Kurdish militants.

State-run television said the the crash occurred in heavy fog in a mountainous area, but authorities are still investigating exactly what happened.

Governor Aydin said the 13 soldiers and four crew members of the Sikorsky helicopter had been killed, with no survivors.

Kurdish rebels are active in the area, but there is no indication they were involved in the incident.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, have stepped up attacks against Turkish military targets in recent months, leading to an increase of Turkish military activity in the area.

- BBC