Turkey's state-run news agency says at least eight police officers have been killed in a car-bomb attack targeting a checkpoint in southeast Turkey.

Anadolu Agency says 45 people were wounded Friday in the attack that was carried out with a truck laden with explosives near the town of Cizre, in Sirnak province.

The Agency said the powerful explosion hit a checkpoint some 50 meters (yards) away from a police station. It said the blast caused severe damage to the police station.

The Health Ministry said it had sent 12 ambulances and two helicopters to the site.

Militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, have carried out a string of car-bomb attacks on police and military targets in recent months.

Violence between the PKK and the security forces resumed last year, after a fragile two-year peace process between the government and militant group collapsed. Hundreds of security force members have been killed since.

The PKK is considered a terror organization by Turkey and its allies.