Istanbul , Turkey ( CNN ) -- A Kurdish separatist movement has denied involvement in a bombing Thursday that killed nine people in a southeastern Turkish province , an explosion that drew swift condemnation and a vow to respond from Turkey 's prime minister . The Kurdistan Workers ' Party , known as the PKK , said the cease-fire it declared last month , which is slated to expire September 20 , `` is still continuing . '' `` Our decision will definitely remain the same unless a new serious situation emerges , '' said a PKK statement published on Firat News Agency , a pro-Kurdish website . The casualties -- which included four wounded -- occurred when a minibus drove over a landmine in a Hakkari province village . Provincial officials initially said 10 people had died , but amended that count . In a news release sent to CNN , the PKK blamed the attack on what it called pro-government contra-guerrillas . Later , the PKK warned the Turkish government , saying , `` The people of Hakkari is [ sic ] not alone . '' The cease-fire had been declared for the Muslim month of Ramadan , which ended last week . It was issued in response to a call from Kurdish intellectuals and civil society organizations . Speaking at an event in Istanbul , Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that `` terrorism '' is forcing Turkey to `` pay a price . '' `` This will not be without a response , '' he said . The volatile southeastern region is home to Turkey 's ethnic Kurdish minority and the PKK , a one-time separatist group considered a terrorist organization by the Turkish government . Turkey is reeling from a bloody summer of clashes with the PKK , the latest in a conflict that has simmered for more than 25 years . More than 30,000 people , mostly ethnic Kurds , have been killed . Initially , the PKK fought to carve out a separate homeland for Turkey 's ethnic Kurdish minority , which makes up roughly 20 percent of the Turkish population . But in recent years , the rebels have said they are giving up their demands for an independent Kurdish state , and are instead fighting for more cultural freedoms . CNN 's Ivan Watson contributed to this story .
Erdogan failed to respond to explosion in southeast Turkey . The death toll stands at 9 . PKK denies involvement in the attack .