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Turkey planes bomb northern Iraq | Turkey planes bomb northern Iraq |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Dozens of Turkish jets have fired on suspected Kurdish rebel targets across the border with Iraq, reports say. | |
Turkish officials said the warplanes had targeted the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in areas near the border. | |
But officials in northern Iraq said the planes had struck several villages. There were reports that one woman was killed, although this was unconfirmed. | |
Turkey has targeted the PKK in recent months, but this is said to be the first air raid into Iraqi territory. | |
Correspondents say the use of fighter planes against rebels inside Iraq is a new development. Previously, only artillery had been used to hit targets in Iraq. | |
'Comprehensive campaign' | 'Comprehensive campaign' |
The Turkish planes struck several targets in different areas of northern Iraq, according to reports. Private Turkish TV reports spoke of "large numbers" planes involved. | |
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1192702901/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1192702901/html/1.stm', '1192702969', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=268,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Click to view a detailed map of the border region href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1192702901/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1192702901/html/1.stm', '1192702969', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=268,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map After the night-time strikes ended, artillery barrages continued across the border from the border town of Cukurca in Turkish territory, reports said. | |
One of the sorties hit an area near the Kandil mountains, a region further away from the border into Iraqi territory, and regularly cited by Turkey as a centre of PKK activity. | |
Turkey's military said a "comprehensive air campaign" had been carried out at 0100 on Sunday (2300 GMT on Saturday). | |
"The operations solely target the... terrorist movement. They are not conducted against people living in northern Iraq or local groups not engaged in enemy activity," the military said in a statement. | "The operations solely target the... terrorist movement. They are not conducted against people living in northern Iraq or local groups not engaged in enemy activity," the military said in a statement. |
But local officials in northern Iraq spoke of families fleeing their homes. | But local officials in northern Iraq spoke of families fleeing their homes. |
A spokesman for Iraqi Kurdish forces said troops were being sent to the Kandil area to check for damage and possible casualties, the AFP news agency reported. | |
Bitter dispute | |
Ankara toughened its line against the PKK after a spate of rebel attacks inside Turkey that prompted widespread calls for action. | |
In October, Turkey's parliament voted to allow the military to launch operations into Iraq to combat the PKK, which had stepped up attacks in Turkey. | |
Ankara has massed up to 100,000 troops near the mountainous border with northern Iraq, backed by tanks, artillery and warplanes. | |
But Iraq and the US have urged Turkey not to carry out its threat. | |
As many as 3,000 PKK members are believed to be based inside northern Iraq. Turkey has accused the local Kurdish authorities of supporting them. | As many as 3,000 PKK members are believed to be based inside northern Iraq. Turkey has accused the local Kurdish authorities of supporting them. |