ISTANBUL, Turkey (Map, News) - A land mine explosion in southeast Turkey killed three people and injured three others on Friday, state-run media said.

The blast occurred near a minibus packed with villagers in the town of Sason in Batman province, Anatolia news agency said.

Land mine explosions are common in southeast Turkey, where Kurdish rebels plant explosives near roads to attack military targets.

The Anatolia report did not say if the victims were civilians or government-paid village guards fighting Kurdish rebels.

Village guards in the region are armed residents who use their local knowledge to help the Turkish military in anti-rebel operations.

Rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, also known as PKK, have fought for self-rule in Turkey's southeast since 1984. Tens of thousands have been killed in the fighting.

Turkey has launched several aerial attacks and one major ground operation against rebel bases across the border with Iraq this year.

Turkey, the EU and U.S. consider the PKK to be a terrorist organization, and Washington has been sharing intelligence about the group with Turkey.