Updated

Turkey's military says Kurdish rebels launched separate attacks on military units stationed near Turkey's border with Iraq, prompting troops to retaliate. There was no word on any casualties.

The incident comes as Turkey is holding talks with the imprisoned leader of Kurdish insurgents in a bid to end the conflict which has cost tens of thousands of lives since 1984.

A military statement said three mortar rounds were fired Wednesday at units based in Hakkari province, where the borders of Iran, Iraq and Turkey meet. It said Turkish artillery retaliated by pounding positions from where the mortars originated.

Also Wednesday, the military says troops based near the town of Daglica, in Hakkari province, returned fire after being attacked with automatic weapons and heavy machine guns.