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Kurdish rebel attack kills Turkish soldiers | Kurdish rebel attack kills Turkish soldiers |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Nine Turkish soldiers have been killed and 14 injured in an attack by Kurdish separatist militants in Hakkari province, close to the Iraqi border. | Nine Turkish soldiers have been killed and 14 injured in an attack by Kurdish separatist militants in Hakkari province, close to the Iraqi border. |
Officials and Turkish media said the troops died after their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb or mine. There were also reports of a shoot-out. | Officials and Turkish media said the troops died after their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb or mine. There were also reports of a shoot-out. |
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) said they had carried out the attack. | The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) said they had carried out the attack. |
Turkey responded with air strikes on a number of PKK targets in northern Iraq late on Wednesday. | |
War planes struck PKK bases in the Zap and Qandil regions, Turkey's NTV and PKK rebels reported. | |
There were no details on casualties from the strikes. | |
Strategy questions | |
There has been an increase in rebel attacks this summer, casting doubt on the chances of peace talks. | There has been an increase in rebel attacks this summer, casting doubt on the chances of peace talks. |
Security sources told Reuters news agency that the cause of the latest deaths had been a remote-controlled explosive device. AFP news agency reported two separate mine blasts. | Security sources told Reuters news agency that the cause of the latest deaths had been a remote-controlled explosive device. AFP news agency reported two separate mine blasts. |
The attack occurred in the district of Cukurca, and officials said military reinforcements were being deployed to the area. | The attack occurred in the district of Cukurca, and officials said military reinforcements were being deployed to the area. |
"They [the rebels] are testing our patience. We'll retaliate in kind," Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz was quoted as saying. | "They [the rebels] are testing our patience. We'll retaliate in kind," Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz was quoted as saying. |
AFP news agency quoted Doldar Hammo, a PKK spokesman, as saying his group had carried out the ambush. Fighting had continued for two hours, he added. | AFP news agency quoted Doldar Hammo, a PKK spokesman, as saying his group had carried out the ambush. Fighting had continued for two hours, he added. |
The attack will add to pressure on the government to devise a more effective strategy for combating the PKK, the BBC's Jonathan Head reports from Istanbul. | The attack will add to pressure on the government to devise a more effective strategy for combating the PKK, the BBC's Jonathan Head reports from Istanbul. |
The government has already said it will ask the police to play a bigger role in counter-insurgency, he says, but this idea has been challenged by critics who argue that the police are no better equipped to tackle the PKK than the army is. | The government has already said it will ask the police to play a bigger role in counter-insurgency, he says, but this idea has been challenged by critics who argue that the police are no better equipped to tackle the PKK than the army is. |
The government had said it was planning more cross-border operations into northern Iraq, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning recently of tougher action against Kurdish rebels. | |
Our correspondent says there is little talk now of renewing the so-called "democratic opening", an initiative from two year ago, which aimed to end the conflict in the south-east by expanding the rights of the Kurdish minority. | Our correspondent says there is little talk now of renewing the so-called "democratic opening", an initiative from two year ago, which aimed to end the conflict in the south-east by expanding the rights of the Kurdish minority. |
The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US, has waged a 26-year insurgency against the Turkish state. | The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US, has waged a 26-year insurgency against the Turkish state. |
More than 40,000 people have been killed in the violence. | More than 40,000 people have been killed in the violence. |
On Saturday, three soldiers were killed in a PKK ambush in eastern Turkey while last month, 13 soldiers and seven Kurdish rebels were killed in the deadliest clash in three years. | On Saturday, three soldiers were killed in a PKK ambush in eastern Turkey while last month, 13 soldiers and seven Kurdish rebels were killed in the deadliest clash in three years. |