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Turkey bombs Kurdish
rebels in Iraq
Jets bomb rebel base on Qandil mountain in northern Iraq in
response to dozens of killings of security staff since July
The site of a blast in central Ankara. Kurdish militants are suspected of causing the
explosion. Photograph: Stringer/turkey/Reuters
Turkey has bombed the main Kurdish rebel base in northern Iraq and
chased rebels in a mountainous area in Turkey's south-east in response to
attacks by the autonomy-seeking guerrillas.
The military said its warplanes had bombed at least 20 more suspected
Kurdish rebel targets since late August, vowing to continue with its strikes.
It gave no other details but the pro-Kurdish Firat news agency said the
jets bombed the main rebel base on Qandil mountain deep inside northern
Iraq on Wednesday.
About 2,000 Turkish troops, meanwhile, launched an operation against
Kurdish rebels in the mountainous Tunceli province after a group of rebels
was detected in the area, said CNN-Turk television. CNN-Turk said it was
the largest anti-rebel operation in Tunceli, which is far from the Iraqi
border.
The rebels, who are fighting for autonomy in Turkey from their bases in
northern Iraq, have escalated attacks in recent months, killing dozens of
members of the security forces and at least seven civilians since July.
Suspicion also fell on Kurdish militants following Tuesday's car bomb
explosion in Ankara that killed three people and wounded 34 others. No one
has claimed responsibility, however, and Islamic and leftist militants are
also active in Turkey.
Turkey is monitoring the movements of the rebels with Israeli-made Heron
drones and also receives intelligence from US-operated Predator drones
about rebel activities inside northern Iraq.
The military said it would launch air strikes whenever it pinpointed the rebel
targets in northern Iraq. Turkish warplanes had already bombed 132
targets in August and Wednesday's announcement put the total number of
targets that have been hit since the beginning of the campaign at 152.
In the latest reported violence in Turkey, suspected Kurdish rebels
attacked a van carrying a group of civilian women, killing four, and
separately killed a cadet at a police training school.
The attack on the women in Siirt occurred close to another police training
school, leading to speculation that the assailants might have mistaken the
van for a police vehicle. The women were on their way to celebrate with a
friend who was leaving to start school in another province, said the
provincial governor, Musa Colak.
Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict since 1984.
Turkey bombs Kurdish rebels in Iraq | World news | The Guardian
rebels in Iraq
Jets bomb rebel base on Qandil mountain in northern Iraq in
response to dozens of killings of security staff since July
The site of a blast in central Ankara. Kurdish militants are suspected of causing the
explosion. Photograph: Stringer/turkey/Reuters
Turkey has bombed the main Kurdish rebel base in northern Iraq and
chased rebels in a mountainous area in Turkey's south-east in response to
attacks by the autonomy-seeking guerrillas.
The military said its warplanes had bombed at least 20 more suspected
Kurdish rebel targets since late August, vowing to continue with its strikes.
It gave no other details but the pro-Kurdish Firat news agency said the
jets bombed the main rebel base on Qandil mountain deep inside northern
Iraq on Wednesday.
About 2,000 Turkish troops, meanwhile, launched an operation against
Kurdish rebels in the mountainous Tunceli province after a group of rebels
was detected in the area, said CNN-Turk television. CNN-Turk said it was
the largest anti-rebel operation in Tunceli, which is far from the Iraqi
border.
The rebels, who are fighting for autonomy in Turkey from their bases in
northern Iraq, have escalated attacks in recent months, killing dozens of
members of the security forces and at least seven civilians since July.
Suspicion also fell on Kurdish militants following Tuesday's car bomb
explosion in Ankara that killed three people and wounded 34 others. No one
has claimed responsibility, however, and Islamic and leftist militants are
also active in Turkey.
Turkey is monitoring the movements of the rebels with Israeli-made Heron
drones and also receives intelligence from US-operated Predator drones
about rebel activities inside northern Iraq.
The military said it would launch air strikes whenever it pinpointed the rebel
targets in northern Iraq. Turkish warplanes had already bombed 132
targets in August and Wednesday's announcement put the total number of
targets that have been hit since the beginning of the campaign at 152.
In the latest reported violence in Turkey, suspected Kurdish rebels
attacked a van carrying a group of civilian women, killing four, and
separately killed a cadet at a police training school.
The attack on the women in Siirt occurred close to another police training
school, leading to speculation that the assailants might have mistaken the
van for a police vehicle. The women were on their way to celebrate with a
friend who was leaving to start school in another province, said the
provincial governor, Musa Colak.
Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict since 1984.
Turkey bombs Kurdish rebels in Iraq | World news | The Guardian