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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| 'Dozens dead' in Turkish assault | 'Dozens dead' in Turkish assault |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Turkey's army says its ground offensive in northern Iraq has left five soldiers and dozens of Kurdish rebels dead. | Turkey's army says its ground offensive in northern Iraq has left five soldiers and dozens of Kurdish rebels dead. |
| Turkey said its ground forces had crossed the border to tackle rebels late on Thursday after an air and artillery bombardment. | Turkey said its ground forces had crossed the border to tackle rebels late on Thursday after an air and artillery bombardment. |
| PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the offensive is limited in scale and troops will return as soon as possible. | PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the offensive is limited in scale and troops will return as soon as possible. |
| The UN secretary general and the US have urged Turkey to show restraint in the offensive. | The UN secretary general and the US have urged Turkey to show restraint in the offensive. |
| A Turkish army statement said: "It has been understood from preliminary information that the terrorists have suffered heavy losses under long-range weapons fire and air strikes." | A Turkish army statement said: "It has been understood from preliminary information that the terrorists have suffered heavy losses under long-range weapons fire and air strikes." |
| It said that 24 Kurdish rebels had been killed in clashes, and at least another 20 by artillery fire and rounds from helicopter gunships. | |
| A Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) spokesman, Ahmad Danas, earlier said two Turkish troops were killed and eight wounded in fighting. | A Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) spokesman, Ahmad Danas, earlier said two Turkish troops were killed and eight wounded in fighting. |
| Neither report can be independently confirmed. | Neither report can be independently confirmed. |
| PKK fighters are known to use northern Iraq as a base | PKK fighters are known to use northern Iraq as a base |
| Mr Erdogan had told Turks on television: "The target, purpose, size and parameters of this operation are limited. | Mr Erdogan had told Turks on television: "The target, purpose, size and parameters of this operation are limited. |
| "Our armed forces will come back in the shortest time possible as soon as they achieve their objectives," he said, insisting that members of the PKK were the sole targets. | "Our armed forces will come back in the shortest time possible as soon as they achieve their objectives," he said, insisting that members of the PKK were the sole targets. |
| Correspondents say the aim is to isolate the organisation and prevent it using northern Iraq as a launch pad for attacks on Turkish soil. | Correspondents say the aim is to isolate the organisation and prevent it using northern Iraq as a launch pad for attacks on Turkish soil. |
| Washington said it had been informed of the incursion in advance and that it had urged the Turks to limit their action to precise targeting of rebel Kurdish targets. | Washington said it had been informed of the incursion in advance and that it had urged the Turks to limit their action to precise targeting of rebel Kurdish targets. |
| Reports from Turkey on the size of the assault force have varied from 3,000 to 10,000 soldiers. | Reports from Turkey on the size of the assault force have varied from 3,000 to 10,000 soldiers. |
| But senior Iraqi Kurdish sources told the BBC the Turkish side had exaggerated the operation, which they believe to be "very, very limited", and in a remote border area. | But senior Iraqi Kurdish sources told the BBC the Turkish side had exaggerated the operation, which they believe to be "very, very limited", and in a remote border area. |
| 'Unusual timing' | 'Unusual timing' |
| Turkey's military said the cross-border ground operation backed by the Air Force was launched at 1900 [1700 GMT on Thursday]. | Turkey's military said the cross-border ground operation backed by the Air Force was launched at 1900 [1700 GMT on Thursday]. |
| The protection of civilian life on both sides of the border remains the paramount concern Ban Ki-moonUN secretary general Ground attack confusion | The protection of civilian life on both sides of the border remains the paramount concern Ban Ki-moonUN secretary general Ground attack confusion |
| Turkey has carried out at least one ground incursion, as well as frequent air and artillery strikes, against suspected PKK targets in Iraq since parliament authorised the army to act in October 2007. | Turkey has carried out at least one ground incursion, as well as frequent air and artillery strikes, against suspected PKK targets in Iraq since parliament authorised the army to act in October 2007. |
| But this operation's timing is unusual as the mountainous border area is still covered with heavy snow, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul. | But this operation's timing is unusual as the mountainous border area is still covered with heavy snow, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul. |
| Nor have there been any major PKK attacks inside Turkey for some time, she adds. | Nor have there been any major PKK attacks inside Turkey for some time, she adds. |
| More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began fighting for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey in 1984. | More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began fighting for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey in 1984. |
| The US, the EU and Turkey consider the PKK to be a "terrorist" organisation. | The US, the EU and Turkey consider the PKK to be a "terrorist" organisation. |
| President's call | President's call |
| Top Iraqi Kurdish and government officials are saying there has been no crossing at the Habur bridge, the only major land route into Iraq, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Baghdad. | Top Iraqi Kurdish and government officials are saying there has been no crossing at the Habur bridge, the only major land route into Iraq, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Baghdad. |
| Click to view a detailed map of the border regionEnlarge Map | Click to view a detailed map of the border regionEnlarge Map |
| Kurdistan Democratic Party militants who control the area in question inside northern Iraq say they have not detected any Turkish forces near any of their own lines. | Kurdistan Democratic Party militants who control the area in question inside northern Iraq say they have not detected any Turkish forces near any of their own lines. |
| The office of Turkish President Abdullah Gul says the leader phoned his Iraqi counterpart, Jalal Talabani, about the operation on Thursday evening. | The office of Turkish President Abdullah Gul says the leader phoned his Iraqi counterpart, Jalal Talabani, about the operation on Thursday evening. |
| Mr Talabani's office confirmed a conversation had taken place during which Mr Gul invited him to visit Ankara officially, and also assured him that any Turkish operations were against the PKK, not against the Iraqi Kurds. | Mr Talabani's office confirmed a conversation had taken place during which Mr Gul invited him to visit Ankara officially, and also assured him that any Turkish operations were against the PKK, not against the Iraqi Kurds. |
| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern about the situation. | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern about the situation. |
| "The protection of civilian life on both sides of the border remains the paramount concern," he said. | "The protection of civilian life on both sides of the border remains the paramount concern," he said. |
| Are you in the Turkey-Iraq border area? You can send us your experiences using the form below: | Are you in the Turkey-Iraq border area? You can send us your experiences using the form below: |
| You can send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can click here to upload. Click here to see terms and conditions | You can send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can click here to upload. Click here to see terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |