Kurdish rebels killed eight Turkish soldiers and a village guard on Wednesday in an ambush in the southeast of the country, Turkey's prime minister said, adding the government's patience had run out.

"We are now at the end of our patience," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.

The attack took place in the Cukurca region of Hakkari province, close to the border with Iraq.

Eleven others were injured, the prime minister said as the United States pledged to stand by Turkey in the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"We stand with Turkey in its fight against the PKK, a designated terrorist organization which has claimed tens of thousands of Turkish lives," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"We support Turkey in its fight against terror, and we will continue to work with the government of Turkey to combat terrorism in all forms."

Village guards are locals armed by the state to help the Turkish army in its campaign against the rebels.

Local sources said two mine explosions in different spots caused the deaths, adding an operation was launched against the rebels immediately after the attack, which the PKK claimed responsibility for.

"Our forces have carried out an ambush against the Turkish army ... on the border," Doldar Hammo, a spokesman for the rebels which have bases in northern Iraq, told AFP.

"Several Turkish soldiers were killed in the clashes, which have been continuing for two hours until now," he said.

"Our patience for Ramadan is over now," Erdogan said, signalling tougher measures against the PKK after the end of the Muslim holy month around August 30, without elaborating.

According to the Turkish press they could include sending special police and army units to the combat zones along the border with Iraq.

"You'll see if that happens," responded Erdogan.

Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz hinted that Turkey's retaliation against the rebels would be strong.

"They are testing our patience ... We'll retaliate in kind," Yilmaz said in televised remarks.

A PKK spokesman said later that Turkey bombed rebel bases in north Iraq in retaliation.

"Turkish jets targeted our bases in different areas inside Iraq," Dozdar Hammo told AFP.

He said the bombing began about 9:30 pm (1830 GMT) and targeted bases in areas near the Turkish border including Qandil, Khanairah, Al-Zab and Jabal Mattine.

"Until now, there is no information on casualties," he added.

Pro-Kurdish news agency Firat said in Turkey that 13 fighter aircraft were involved in the attacks and hit at least five targets.

The Turkish armed forces which have not attacked PKK bases in Iraq since last year did not confirm the raids.

President Abdullah Gul said "the terrorist organisation is deliberately resorting to such provocations and ambushes, especially during Ramadan".

On June 16, the PKK killed 13 soldiers in another southeastern province, Diyarbakir.

The conflict with the PKK, blacklisted as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States as well as Turkey, has claimed more than 45,000 lives since it began in 1984.

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