ANKARA — Turkey plans to launch an offensive against the Kurdish
insurgency.
Officials said the Turkish Army was preparing for an assault on
strongholds of the Kurdish Workers Party along the border with Iraq and
Iran. They said the army has determined that the PKK bolstered its
capability in killing 13 Turkish security officers last week.
"We have so far tried to handle this issue with patience to resolve this
problem with a democratic approach," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan
said. "These are not acts that one can put up with."
Erdogan said the Cabinet would discuss the proposed offensive against
the PKK on Monday. He said the government has been examining a range of
proposals to stop the PKK, which has killed about 50 soldiers and security
officers in 2006.
"I have to say that the Cabinet meeting tomorrow [Monday] is ready for
many things," Erdogan said.
[On July 15, Turkey reported the injury of a PKK leader in an Iranian
military strike on northern Iraq. Turkey's NTV television identified the PKK
operative as Murat Karayilan.]
The PKK assaults have focused in the province of Siirt near the Iraqi
border. At least seven soldiers were killed in a battle in Siirt on early
Sunday.
So far, Turkey has sent helicopters and artillery to hamper PKK
movements in the southeast. The operation has also included Turkish commando
units.
Ankara has long warned Iraq against harboring the PKK in the Kandil
mountains of northern Iraq. Over the weekend, senior ministers and generals
met to draft recommendations for the Cabinet meeting.
"This PKK terror organization has continued its attacks ruthlessly,"
Erdogan said. "This is becoming intolerable."