Turkish F-16 Jets Carry out Strikes Against PKK Targets in N. Iraq
By Cihan News Agency
Thursday, August 24, 2006
zaman.com
Speaking in Baghdad, spokesman for the U.S. and its allies in Iraq Maj. Gen. William Caldwell stated that there had been shelling in northern Iraq. "I'm not sure exactly where the shelling came from. So I'd be hesitant to say exactly who was responsible for it," the US general said.
IRAQ: TURKISH JETS STRIKE KURDISH BASES AS PKK MOOTS TRUCE
Erbil, 24 August (AKI) - Turkish airforce jets on Thursday struck in northern Iraq, bombing bases believed to be operated by the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Cihan news agency reports. The PKK which is banned in Turkey had earlier appealed to the population in the villages in Iraqi Kurdistan, near the Turkish border, to leave the area, predicting military attacks by Turkey and Iran. The separatist group also said it had proposed some sort of truce to Ankara.
Turkish military officials stated that the F-16 jets which took off during the night had inflicted serious casualties on the PKK, the agency reported, adding that ground operations are continuing along the Iraqi border.
In an interview with the Iraq-based Kurdish language newspaper, Khabat, the PKK number two, Murad Qaraylan, said the "willingness of the party to interrupt hostilities with Turkey and resolve the Kurdish question in that country by negotiations and political dialogue as of 1 September, International Peace Day."
"The party has a political project which will be illustrated to the Turkish government should it approve the idea of starting negotiations" he said, adding that "this project comes after the pressure placed on the PKK by the regional government of Iraqi Kurdistan and by Kurdish movements inside Turkey".
Turkey has for some time refused any form of dialogue with the PKK but the policy of the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be opening up towards civil society groups in the Kurdish-majority regions of Turkey, which are being politically and economically supported, with the aim of creating a political elite able to exert considerable influence on Kurdish public opinion within Turkey.
The U.S. government is looking into allegation of Kurdish reports of a joint Turkish-Iranian operation against the PKK in northern Iraq.
Speaking in Baghdad, spokesman for the U.S. and its allies in Iraq Maj. Gen. William Caldwell stated that there had been shelling in northern Iraq. "I'm not sure exactly where the shelling came from. So I'd be hesitant to say exactly who was responsible for it," the US general said.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
zaman.com
Turkish jet fighters have commenced air strikes against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PPK) bases in northern Iraq.
F-16 jets carried out air strikes against targets in the Kanimasi and Snaht regions in northern Iraq.
Army officials stated that the F-16 jets which took off during the night had inflicted serious casualties on the PKK.
In addition to the air strikes, Turkish security forces are continuing their operations along the Iraqi border.
The U.S. government is looking into allegation of Kurdish reports of a joint Turkish-Iranian operation against the PKK in northern Iraq.
Speaking in Baghdad, spokesman for the U.S. and its allies in Iraq Maj. Gen. William Caldwell stated that there had been shelling in northern Iraq. "I'm not sure exactly where the shelling came from. So I'd be hesitant to say exactly who was responsible for it," the US general said.
IRAQ: TURKISH JETS STRIKE KURDISH BASES AS PKK MOOTS TRUCE
Erbil, 24 August (AKI) - Turkish airforce jets on Thursday struck in northern Iraq, bombing bases believed to be operated by the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Cihan news agency reports. The PKK which is banned in Turkey had earlier appealed to the population in the villages in Iraqi Kurdistan, near the Turkish border, to leave the area, predicting military attacks by Turkey and Iran. The separatist group also said it had proposed some sort of truce to Ankara.
Turkish military officials stated that the F-16 jets which took off during the night had inflicted serious casualties on the PKK, the agency reported, adding that ground operations are continuing along the Iraqi border.
In an interview with the Iraq-based Kurdish language newspaper, Khabat, the PKK number two, Murad Qaraylan, said the "willingness of the party to interrupt hostilities with Turkey and resolve the Kurdish question in that country by negotiations and political dialogue as of 1 September, International Peace Day."
"The party has a political project which will be illustrated to the Turkish government should it approve the idea of starting negotiations" he said, adding that "this project comes after the pressure placed on the PKK by the regional government of Iraqi Kurdistan and by Kurdish movements inside Turkey".
Turkey has for some time refused any form of dialogue with the PKK but the policy of the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be opening up towards civil society groups in the Kurdish-majority regions of Turkey, which are being politically and economically supported, with the aim of creating a political elite able to exert considerable influence on Kurdish public opinion within Turkey.
The U.S. government is looking into allegation of Kurdish reports of a joint Turkish-Iranian operation against the PKK in northern Iraq.
Speaking in Baghdad, spokesman for the U.S. and its allies in Iraq Maj. Gen. William Caldwell stated that there had been shelling in northern Iraq. "I'm not sure exactly where the shelling came from. So I'd be hesitant to say exactly who was responsible for it," the US general said.
posted by Marko at 8/24/2006 01:04:00 PM
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