Turkish security officials say Kurdish rebels killed eight soldiers in an attack on an army outpost in eastern Turkey Monday.

They say several others were wounded when rebels rammed a vehicle into the post and threw a hand grenade in Tunceli province. One attacker was killed in a shootout following the blast. At least one other attacker escaped.

On Sunday, the Turkish military shelled a Kurdish rebel stronghold in northern Iraq. But ground forces did not cross the border.

Turkey has been massing troops near the Iraqi border. But U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned Turkey against sending troops into northern Iraq to hunt down Kurdish rebels accused of carrying out terrorist attacks in Turkey.

The Kurdistan Worker's Party, or PKK, has been fighting for autonomy in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast since 1984.

The United States, the European Union and Turkey classify the PKK as a terrorist group.