TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's state TV's website says eight border guard members have been killed during clashes with militants near the border with Turkey.

Iribnews.ir, reported Friday that the clashes took place near Chaldoran, some 865 kilometers (or 530 miles) northwest of the capital Tehran, in the country's West Azerbaijan province.

The report said that the Iranian border guards inflicted heavy casualties on the militants.

It did not elaborate on the affiliation of the militants. The area near Turkey and Iraq's borders with Iran has previously been the scene of occasional skirmishes with Kurdish separatist groups as well as extremist Islamic rebels.