Turk General Staff says 23 rebels, 12 soldiers dead

ANKARA, Oct 21 (Reuters) Turkey's military General Staff said today 23 Kurdish rebels and 12 Turkish soldiers had been killed in clashes near the Iraqi border.

''The clashes are continuing,'' the General Staff said in a statement posted on its Web site.

Security sources earlier told Reuters the death toll among Turkish troops was at least 13 following an ambush by rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Reuters SKB GC1710