ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey's armed forces have launched a large-scale military operation against Kurdish rebels in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

The state-run Anadolou Agency cited the military as saying the operation is focused on the Diyarbakir districts of Lice, Silvan, Kulp and Hazro, where an outlawed armed Kurdish movement has a presence.

It said roughly 1,000 security personnel -- including counter-terrorism police from the capital Ankara and Istanbul -- were deployed Tuesday as part of the operation.

Earlier in the day, the governor of Diyarbakir imposed curfews on 25 villages in the area.

Southeast Turkey has been the scene of clashes between security forces and fighters linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

Turkey, along with its allies the United States and the European Union, considers the PKK a terrorist organization.