IRAQ: Turkish jets bomb PKK in northern Iraq, say sources

Record ID: 357367

  • Title: IRAQ: Turkish jets bomb PKK in northern Iraq, say sources
  • Date: 29th September 2008
  • Summary: (BN12) KANDIL MOUNTAIN AREA, NORTH IRAQ (SEPTEMBER 26, 2008) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL): KANDIL MOUNTAIN AREA IN NORTH IRAQ HOUSE DAMAGED BY TURKISH BOMBING MORE OF HOUSE DAMAGED BY BOMBING CLOSE-UP OF PIECES OF MISSILE ON FLOOR INSIDE HOUSE DAMAGED HOUSE WOMAN CARRYING SHEEP WALKING TOWARDS CAMERA MORE OF WOMAN CARRYING SHEEP WALKING WOMAN ENTERING TENT (SOUNDBITE) (K
  • Embargoed: 14th October 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KFFT7W61MMZCJBF1E2W07EN1
  • Story Text: Suspected Kurdish guerrilla positions are attacked by Turkish fighter jets, says senior security source.
    At least 10 Turkish fighter jets bombed suspected Kurdish guerrilla positions in northern Iraq on Thursday, senior security sources said on Friday (September 26).
    The sources, who declined to be named, told Reuters the strikes began after 1900 GMT on Thursday in two separate regions in northern Iraq.

    "Last night two separate regions were bombed where the PKK was believed to be taking shelter," a high-ranking Turkish security official said.
    Turkish armed forces have conducted several cross-border operations, including a brief land offensive, against Kurdistan Workers Party's (PKK) bases in mountainous northern Iraq over the past 12 months.

    "This village called Pardi. Last night at twenty past nine at night when I was still awake, I heard roaring of planes. I told my daughter Fatima lets run for a shelter. We did run barefooted and when we arrived at a place where we can hide, the bombing started and things started to fly from bombed place in the hay," said Khadija, a Kurdish woman who lives in the area.
    A spokesman for the rebel group confirmed there had been about two hours of air strikes on the Kandil mountains from about 10 p.m. on Thursday.

    "We have one wounded PKK member, and bombing was not just in our areas, but also close to inhabited villages," PKK spokesman Ahmed Danees said, adding that one home had been destroyed in the attack.
    Azad Wassu, mayor of the Iraqi town of Jarawa near the Kandil mountains, said five families had fled their homes, but there was no damage or casualties.
    Turkey says it believes that thousands of separatist PKK guerrillas use northern Iraq to stage attacks inside Turkey.
    The government has asked parliament to extend a mandate, which expires next month, to launch further military operations against the PKK in Iraq.
    Since a land offensive in February, Turkey's military has confined its cross-border operations to air strikes and shelling against PKK targets.
    Ankara blames the PKK, considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, for the deaths of more than 40,000 people since it launched its campaign for an ethnic Kurdish homeland in southeast Turkey in 1984.
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