Turkish media are reporting that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has hired three Serb snipers to assassinate top politicians in that country.

Istanbul's Zeman daily writes that the information which came from intelligence reports "prompted bodyguards protecting the president, the prime minister and other ministers as well as high-ranking military commanders to be placed on alert".

Belgrade-based Blic newspaper quotes the report by saying that PKK "now feels obliged to hire hit men because most of its best snipers have been exposed".

"PKK members in charge of its European operations have contacted the three hit men and negotiated over the price, but the assassins have not yet entered Turkey, " according to this.

The report also alleges that PKK "plans to send the killers in the guise of tourists in the next few days".

"The top-secret report has caused great concern in Ankara, with border checkpoints being placed on high alert. Border officials have been warned to be careful about tourists from Serbia," writes Zeman.

Meanwhile, in the latest incident, six Turkish soldiers have been killed in an attack by Kurdish rebels near the border with Iraq.