World Bulletin / News Desk

A civilian died Saturday in a vehicle explosion caused by PKK extremists in southeastern Turkey's Tunceli province, the governor's office has confirmed.

Three people were in a car when it exploded in the Hozat district, the Tunceli governor's office said in a written statement.

One of them died in the explosion. Information on the other two occupants is still unclear, it said.

A counter-extremism operation in the district resulted in a gunfight between security forces and the extremist group.

A hearse as well as several municipal vehicles that were heading towards the scene were also attacked by PKK extremists.

The PKK -- listed as a extremist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, PKK extremist attacks martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK extremists were killed in army operations.​

In an airstrike Saturday, at least five extremists were "neutralized" in Hakkari province's Yuksekova-Daglica rural area, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement.

On Friday, four more extremists were "neutralized" in the Cukurca district of the province, the statement added.