Turkish warplanes have bombed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets along the Iraqi border in southeast Turkey, the country's semi-official Anatolia news agency has said.
The agency said fighter jets from an air force base at Diyarbakir, the main city in the mainly Kurdish southeast, bombed and destroyed several PKK positions on Wednesday.
It said the bombings particularly targeted PKK routes in high mountainous areas.
The raids were said to have been conducted in four provinces, Sirnak and Hakkari, which border Iraq and neighbouring Siirt and Van, which abut the Iranian border.
Bomb attacks
Anatolia said helicopter gunships had also taken part in raids which followed the killing of 12 soldiers in a PKK ambush near the Iraqi border on Sunday.
Turkey has confirmed that eight soldiers are missing following the ambush.
On Tuesday, a pro-Kurdish news agency close to the PKK published what it said were pictures of the troops it said were being held by the group.
Anatolia said suspected PKK fighters had detonated two remote-controlled bombs in the eastern province of Tunceli as soldiers combed a rural area for landmines.
It said security forces had defused other explosive devices found in the area and there had been no casualties.
I can't help but feel sympathetic with the Turks on this issue somehow. The should obviously have a right to defend themselves against these terrorist attacks. There are some parallels with the Israeli conflict in Lebanon last year.
On an interesting side note. It has been rather tense in some parts of Brussels this week. A Kurdish restaurant was vandalized and an Armenian shopkeeper was beaten up by an angry mob of Belgians of Turkish descent.
A bit disturbing really, that these conflicts are so easily exported due to nationalist or religious sentiment. The same happened before with the Pal/Israeli conflict.
Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised EU nations for not doing more to tackle activists from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
He said EU nations were not arresting or extraditing PKK members.
Turkey has regularly asked countries to do more against the PKK, which the EU regards as a terrorist group.
Mr Erdogan was speaking after talks between Turkey and Iraq ended without progress on Iraqi proposals to stop PKK attacks on Turkey from Iraq.
Turkey has warned it will not tolerate more cross-border raids and has massed troops along the border.
Mr Erdogan questioned the sincerity of EU nations on the PKK issue.
"No EU country has extradited members of the PKK to Turkey, despite labelling it as a terrorist organisation," Mr Erdogan said on Turkish TV.
He did not mention any European nation by name.
But he did refer to a recent disagreement with Austria over its refusal to arrest a senior PKK member who then boarded a plane to northern Iraq, the AFP news agency reported.
Ground attack threat
Talks in the Turkish capital Ankara between Turkish and Iraqi officials were aimed at heading off military action by Turkey's armed forces across their common border, after a series of attacks on Turkish troops by rebel Kurdish fighters based in northern Iraq.
But the talks ended without progress on Friday and no further meetings were planned.
The Iraqi delegation said the proposals put forward were practical, realistic and feasible, according to the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad.
The proposals included using multinational forces - presumably Americans - to monitor the border, the rehabilitation and strengthening of old Iraqi border posts, the closure of what it called illegal bases and steps to dry up the PKK's finances, our correspondent says.
Turkey had said the Iraqi proposals would have taken too long to take effect.
Turkey wants the PKK's mountain bases in the far north of Iraq closed and the leadership handed over, the BBC's Jonny Dymond in Ankara says.
Mr Erdogan is due to meet US President George W Bush in Washington on 5 November.
A senior Turkish general suggested that Turkey's threat to launch a ground offensive into Iraq would not be carried out before that meeting.
"The armed forces will carry out a cross-border offensive when assigned," NTV television quoted General Yasar Buyukanit as saying on Friday. "Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to the United States is very important, we will wait for his return."
Turkish military and civilian leaders have also recommended economic measures against northern Iraq, which relies heavily on Turkey for food and electricity.
The PKK - which is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, and the EU - is thought to have about 3,000 rebels based in Iraq.
I can't help but feel sympathetic with the Turks on this issue somehow. The should obviously have a right to defend themselves against these terrorist attacks. There are some parallels with the Israeli conflict in Lebanon last year.
On an interesting side note. It has been rather tense in some parts of Brussels this week. A Kurdish restaurant was vandalized and an Armenian shopkeeper was beaten up by an angry mob of Belgians of Turkish descent.
A bit disturbing really, that these conflicts are so easily exported due to nationalist or religious sentiment. The same happened before with the Pal/Israeli conflict.
no country can stop turkey if there remains no patient in turkey..we all know that pkk is a terrörist org and usa and eu supports them..even americans confess this fact..but we have no time to lose anymore...pkk killed 40.000 innocent ppl in turkey..each one of pkk and each one supporting it will pay the bill..inshallah..
no country can stop turkey if there remains no patient in turkey..we all know that pkk is a terrörist org and usa and eu supports them..even americans confess this fact..but we have no time to lose anymore...pkk killed 40.000 innocent ppl in turkey..each one of pkk and each one supporting it will pay the bill..inshallah..
Ehm...How does the West support the PKK? They are communists and are on the list of terrorist organizations both in the US and the EU!
Ehm...How does the West support the PKK? They are communists and are on the list of terrorist organizations both in the US and the EU!
read the article i posted earlier.
perhaps 'suporting' is too evident a term.yes, they are recognised as terrosrists...but not intervening in mass killing is a form of subliminal 'supprort' dont u think?
peace.
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
perhaps 'suporting' is too evident a term.yes, they are recognised as terrosrists...but not intervening in mass killing is a form of subliminal 'supprort' dont u think?
peace.
Ok, I would agree with you if you say the European countries have been too soft on Kurdish terrorists. But I wouldn't confuse that with support. We are certainly not supporting them in any way, be it politically, monetary or militarily. However, we have not put enough priority on the prosecution Kurdish terrorists. Lets hope the current tensions will help the European law enforcments agencies to get of their collective asses.
Now, on another point. In general, the relations between the AK party and Kurds in Turkey has been fairly good, no? How would characterize recent relations between Turks and Kurds in Turkey in general? I was under the impression things were improving the last few years? Especially after the arrest of Ocalan in the late 90s. Was that a wrong impression?
Ok, I would agree with you if you say the European countries have been too soft on Kurdish terrorists. But I wouldn't confuse that with support. We are certainly not supporting them in any way, be it politically, monetary or militarily. However, we have not put enough priority on the prosecution Kurdish terrorists. Lets hope the current tensions will help the European law enforcments agencies to get of their collective asses.
Now, on another point. In general, the relations between the AK party and Kurds in Turkey has been fairly good, no? How would characterize recent relations between Turks and Kurds in Turkey in general? I was under the impression things were improving the last few years? Especially after the arrest of Ocalan in the late 90s. Was that a wrong impression?
im am very very certain that yigiter187 will be able to answer this question much much better than i, due to the fact that he actually lives in turkey...eastern Turkey where there is a predominancy of kurdish peoples.
i on the other hand can only provide u with my humble opinion and acquired understanding through following this issue over turkish news(which makes a big differnce) and the bias of friends and family whom have some form of first person experience...
i have watched as sudden upsurges of attack from the ppk and over the iraq border hit turkey and kill innocent soldiers. since the arrest of ocalan(which is highly political and a story within itsself) the pkk has had tensions about leadership and was shaken on its grounds. so..the word to use is possibly 'confusion'.
kurdish guerillas attack the borders of small villages all the time.the neigbouring villages are where one would need to look in order to see that the ppk is in a state of anything but rest and that the relations between turkey and the ppk are not getting better. the reports on such attacks are endless, yet...they never reach the 'breaking news' columns...
it is only when the large scale is hit that the rest of the world hears about it...i think the Ak part and the turkish military is getting sick of sending new troops into the villages...they just keep getting killed.it is so depressing...watching all the funerals every friday...
it has been asserted (check news headlines) that turkey actually has the right to act against the kurdish guerillas in iraq...which is what is going on at the moment...howver, i dnt think that the turkish govt wants to make a big or too bad of an impression..."war with neigbouring countries?" "civil wars?" thats not what turkey needs...
lol...they just mite be accused of genocide a few decades later...
how bout u? what was it that led you to believe the relations were getting better? i dno about deep seated govt policies etc, but i was never under that impression..due to the above...
Last edited by sevgi; 10-30-2007 at 12:28 PM.
Reason: im sleepy..syntax is off whack...
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
The thing that bothers me the most about this is the lack of US involvement.
The US asks everyone to assist us against those that terrorize the US.
By that same logic we need to assist any one who is being terrorized.
The PKK are terrorists, but since they don’t terrorize the US, we turn a blind eye.
Shame on us.
hmm..i appreciate your post.
i would like to say that the US is currently too busy labeling the state of sudan-darfur as the revolting machinations of the 'the 'arab' tribes...' the effort they show towards darfur is a confusing one. yet i cant help my bias interviening an showing me that its coz its so appropriate for the current light against 'dark-skinned arabs'...
the US certainly is selective in its assistance.
currently, i do not know what they are trying to do in regards to turkey...they are not helping with pkk...
and they have just labeled the armenian conflict a genocide...not that it is any of their business...they are just nosy and their announcement does turn heads...
the pkk is an aparent terrorist organisation...and due to the fact that they have no global or US threat..as u said wilber, they turn the blind eye...
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
i know u guys all follow the news...but i thought i'd fill you in on the latest in regards to the issue...
Turkish copters pound Kurd rebels
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey's prime minister said Tuesday increased military action against separatist Kurdish rebels was "unavoidable" and pressed the United States for a crackdown on guerrilla bases in northern Iraq.
Turkish helicopters pounded rebel positions near the border with rockets for a second day and Turkey brought in troops by the truckload in an operation against mountainside emplacements.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told members of his party in parliament "it is now unavoidable that Turkey will have to go through a more intensive military process."
But he also suggested he was not seeking an immediate cross-border offensive against the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, holed up in bases in northern Iraq. "The responsibility of leadership does not allow for narrow mindedness, haste or heroism," he said.
"We must remember that Turkey is part of this world and diplomacy has certain requirements," Erdogan added, suggesting the world expected Turkey to exhaust all nonmilitary options.
Erdogan flies to Washington on Nov. 5 for talks with President Bush that could be key to whether Turkey carries out its threat of a major military incursion. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also expected in Turkey later this week.
"We will openly express that we expect urgent steps from the United States, which is our strategic partner and ally and has a special responsibility regarding Iraq," Erdogan said.
The United States, Iraq and other countries have been calling on Turkey to refrain from a cross-border campaign, which could throw one of the few stable areas in Iraq into chaos. A Turkish incursion would also put the United States in an awkward position with key allies: NATO-member Turkey, the Baghdad government and the self-governing Iraqi Kurds in the north.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush's discussions with Erdogan would include "the fight against terrorism -- in particular our joint efforts to counter the PKK."
Turkish Cobra attack helicopters blasted suspected PKK targets in the Mount Cudi area, near the southeastern border with Iraq for a second day, trying to hunt down some 100 rebels believed to be hiding in mountainside caves, the private Dogan news agency reported.
The fighting has claimed the lives of three Turkish soldiers and six guerrillas, local news reports said.
Transport helicopters flew in commando units to block possible rebel escape routes on Cudi, Dogan reported.
An AP Television News cameraman said attack helicopters escorted four Black Hawk helicopters on Cudi, as they airlifted soldiers to the mountain and picked others up. Smoke could be seen rising from areas that had been hit in the attacks.
Dogan reported a 100-vehicle military convoy traveling from Cizre toward the border.
A Kurdish political party warned that the fighting threatened to increase animosity between the Turkish and Kurdish populations in Turkey.
Turkey is "moving toward a dangerous war in our region which will seriously damage historical relations between Turks and Kurds," Nurettin Demirtas, a senior party official, told reporters.
Erdogan's Cabinet scheduled a meeting for Wednesday to discuss possible economic measures against groups supporting the Kurdish rebels.
Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici said Turkey was considering a series of sanctions against the self-governing Kurdish administration in Iraq's north.
Yazici would not give any details, but the Iraqi region is heavily reliant on Turkish electricity and food imports, as well as Turkish investment in construction. There has been talk of shutting down the Habur border crossing -- the only vehicular route into Iraq from Turkey.
Jamal Abdullah, a spokesman for the Iraqi Kurd regional government, complained that economic sanctions "would represent a collective punishment against Kurdistan's people."
He warned that Turkey and the U.S. Army also would suffer if the border crossing was closed. About 70 percent of U.S. air cargo headed for Iraq goes through Turkey, as does about one-third of the fuel used by the U.S. military there.
Massoud Barzani, the leader of Iraq's Kurdish region, called for a peaceful solution to the crisis.
"We believe that military action is not the solution. We are not part of this problem and we will not allow anyone to drag us into a war that is not our war," Barzani said at a news conference after a meeting of the regional parliament in Irbil.
At least 46 people have been killed by the PKK in Turkey over the past month, according to government and media reports. Those included at least 30 Turkish soldiers killed in two ambushes that were the boldest attacks in years and increased domestic pressure on Erdogan to act.
im am very very certain that yigiter187 will be able to answer this question much much better than i, due to the fact that he actually lives in turkey...eastern Turkey where there is a predominancy of kurdish peoples.
i on the other hand can only provide u with my humble opinion and acquired understanding through following this issue over turkish news(which makes a big differnce) and the bias of friends and family whom have some form of first person experience...
i have watched as sudden upsurges of attack from the ppk and over the iraq border hit turkey and kill innocent soldiers. since the arrest of ocalan(which is highly political and a story within itsself) the pkk has had tensions about leadership and was shaken on its grounds. so..the word to use is possibly 'confusion'.
kurdish guerillas attack the borders of small villages all the time.the neigbouring villages are where one would need to look in order to see that the ppk is in a state of anything but rest and that the relations between turkey and the ppk are not getting better. the reports on such attacks are endless, yet...they never reach the 'breaking news' columns...
it is only when the large scale is hit that the rest of the world hears about it...i think the Ak part and the turkish military is getting sick of sending new troops into the villages...they just keep getting killed.it is so depressing...watching all the funerals every friday...
it has been asserted (check news headlines) that turkey actually has the right to act against the kurdish guerillas in iraq...which is what is going on at the moment...howver, i dnt think that the turkish govt wants to make a big or too bad of an impression..."war with neigbouring countries?" "civil wars?" thats not what turkey needs...
lol...they just mite be accused of genocide a few decades later...
how bout u? what was it that led you to believe the relations were getting better? i dno about deep seated govt policies etc, but i was never under that impression..due to the above...
Thanks for the reply.
Well, I was under the impression the Turkish government got a bit softer on Kurds in general (not necessarily the PKK!). For example, didn't the Turkish government recently allow Kurdish to be taught in schools? And allow Kurdish-language TV to be broadcast?
In general I had somewhat expected the strong economic growth and recent liberal reforms to have eased the tensions. But then again, apparently extremists like the PKK can easily undo any progress.
Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
When you create an account, we remember exactly what you've read, so you always come right back where you left off. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and share your thoughts. Sign Up
Hide
Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
Bookmarks