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Turkey readies strikes against growing Kurdish insurgency

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, July 17, 2006

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."


Copyright © 2006 East West Services, Inc.

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