At least 17 persons killed in bomb attack in Turkey's Hakkari province

Ankara: At least 17 persons -- among them nine soldiers and eight civilians -- were killed and 27 others injured when militants staged a car bomb attack in Turkey's Hakkari province, an official said on Sunday.

Officials blamed the attack on Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants. 

The military said a wide-scale air-supported operation was being conducted in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said the country would "not surrender to terror organisations" and vowed that all who conducted attacks would pay the price.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US, the European Union and Turkey.