Ankara, May 31 (IANS): Two Turkish soldiers were killed in operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) over the weekend in northern Iraq, Turkey's Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The soldiers were killed in clashes with the "terrorists" on Saturday and Sunday in areas in northern Iraq, it said on Monday.

In April, Turkey launched the ground and air military offensive, dubbed "Operation Claw-Lock," in northern Iraq against the PKK targets in Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan, Xinhua news agency reported.

The fighting in the region between the Turkish army and the group escalated in the past few weeks, increasing the casualties of Turkey's security forces.

Turkey regularly conducts cross-border operations on the PKK bases in the neighbouring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than 30 years.

Iraq has protested against the Turkish operation in northern Iraq as a violation of its sovereignty.