DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - A Turkish soldier was killed on Saturday in a clash between the security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the southeastern town of Cizre, the military said.

The soldier was severely wounded and died in hospital, it said, adding that seven PKK members had been “neutralized”.

Ankara has been conducting operations to clear southeastern towns of PKK militants since July, when a two-year ceasefire collapsed.

The PKK, which says it is fighting for autonomy for Turkey’s Kurds, is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The decades-long conflict has cost more than 40,000 lives.