Turkey Targets PKK in Iraq After Deadly Mine Blast
By VOA News
28 May 2009
Turkey's military says its warplanes have attacked Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, following a land mine explosion that killed six Turkish soldiers and wounded eight others.
Security sources said Turkish warplanes bombed the targets in Iraq's Avasin-Basyan region Thursday.
Earlier, a military vehicle struck a mine on a road in Turkey's Hakkari province, a mainly Kurdish region near the Iraqi border.
Officials suspect the mine was planted by Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
In a separate operation, Turkish authorities arrested around 30 people in a new sweep across the country against people with suspected ties to Kurdish rebels. The detainees include teachers and union members.
Separatist PKK rebels have been fighting for Kurdish rule in southeastern Turkey for a quarter-century. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community.
The Turkish air force frequently carries out operations against PKK bases in northern Iraq.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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