- Title: TURKEY: Turkish army advances into northern Iraq to hunt for PKK rebels
- Date: 25th October 2011
- Summary: CIZRE, TURKEY (OCTOBER 24, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MILITARY CONVOY HELICOPTER FLYING OVER MOUNTAINS, MILITARY VEHICLES ON ROAD VARIOUS OF ARMOURED VEHICLES, PERSONNEL CARRIERS DRIVING ON ROAD CUKURCA, TURKEY (OCTOBER 24, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) MILITARY POST HELICOPTERS ON BASE HELICOPTER TAKING OFF, SOLDIERS EMBARKING ON ANOTHER HELICOPTER HELICOPTER HOVERING OVER MOUNTAINS
- Embargoed: 9th November 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey, Turkey
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVADSBITCONJCNNIW0JJBKHP75K8
- Story Text: Turkish tanks and armoured vehicles crossed into northern Iraq headed in the direction of a Kurdish militant camp, Turkish security sources said on Monday (October 24).
The incursion came as cross-border operations continued in the wake of last week's attack by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters that killed 24 Turkish soldiers.
An armoured column was headed in the direction of a militant camp at Haftanin, around 20 km (12 miles) from the Habur border post, and near the Iraqi city of Zakho, the sources said.
Several hundred PKK fighters were believed to be based at Haftanin, the sources said.
Turkish warplanes launched air strikes against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas in northern Iraq in mid-August in retaliation for a string of PKK attacks in southeast Turkey.
The military launched fresh air-backed ground operations against the militants last week on both sides of the mountainous Turkey-Iraq border after simultaneous PKK attacks killed 24 Turkish soldiers in Hakkari province on the Iraqi border.
On Saturday (October 22), the military said it had killed 49 militants during two days of fighting in a valley on the Turkish side of the frontier.
Ankara's reaction to one of the deadliest attacks on its security forces in a conflict that began three decades ago had fuelled speculation that Turkey could move to a full-blown incursion to clear out PKK camps deeper inside northern Iraq.
More than 40,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in 1984. The United States, European Union and Turkey designate the PKK as a terrorist organisation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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