Seven people abducted by Kurdish militants in Turkey

, June 23: A group of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK)

have kidnapped seven people in southeastern

, the media reported Sunday.

The PKK rebels on Saturday kidnapped seven people, including five from a same family who were collecting firewood in the forest area of Senoba zone in Uludere town in Sirnak province, Xinhua reported citing Dogan news agency.

The security forces have launched a major search operation in the region.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and some other countries, took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland for the Kurds in southeastern Turkey. More than 40,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the PKK.

IANS