|
Turkey strikes PKK targets in Iraq
|
| Print |
|
E-mail
|
|
Arab World
|
|
By Agencies
|
![The military began a major ground offensive against the PKK across the Iraqi border in February [EPA]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Turkey/1/2/3/4/5/ground-offensive.jpg "The military began a major ground offensive against the PKK across the Iraqi border in February [EPA]") | | The military began a major ground offensive against the PKK across the Iraqi border in February [EPA] |
Turkish fighter planes have struck 16 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in a raid launched in the Hakurk region of northern Iraq.
A statement by the Turkish military said: "These targets were identified after detailed analysis... sensitivity was shown to avoid negatively impacting the civilian population and the local elements."
The army said the mission, launched early on Thursday, had been completed "successfully".
The Turkish military has regularly attacked PKK positions in the mountains of northern Iraq this year, where several thousand fighters are believed to be based.
Jabbar Yawir, a spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish security forces, said no casualties were reported.
The military launched a major ground offensive across the border in February, signalling a new phase in the conflict between Turkey and the PKK. The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 with the aim of establishing an ethnic homeland in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey.
About 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
The European Union and the United States are keen for fellow Nato-member Turkey to keep its attacks in northern Iraq limited to avoid destabilising Iraq and the wider region.
The EU, US and Turkey say they consider the PKK a "terrorist" organisation.
Recommend this article...
Tags: Turkey PKK
|
Arab World 
