Officials said the military has taken advantage of a spring thaw to
launch operations in the mountains along the Iraqi border. They said air and
ground forces have repeatedly found and eliminated squads of the Kurdish
Workers Party in southeastern Turkey.
Over the last three days, about 20 people, most of them PKK operatives,
were killed in clashes near the Iraqi-Turkish border. Much of the fighting
has taken place in Turkey's Sirt and Tunceli provinces, inhabitated by
Kurds, Middle East Newsline reported.
At least 16 of the casualties were identified as PKK fighters. Turkish
security sources said 13 of them were killed in fighting in Tunceli.
Turkish casualties have been significant during the offensive. At least
11 soldiers were reported killed since April 8.
The Turkish offensive has consisted of 10,000 troops as well as hundreds
of main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and combat vehicles. The
ground force has been supported by attack helicopters and reconnaissance
aircraft.
In early April, Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit expressed
support for an invasion of northern Iraq, where PKK bases have been located.
But Buyukanit added that such a decision must come from the government in
Ankara.
