DATE= 10/5/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-220850 TITLE=TURKEY / IRAQ (L-ONLY) BYLINE=KYLE KING DATELINE=DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKEY'S CROSS-BORDER MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH REBELS IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAS ENTERED ITS THIRD WEEK WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE RENEWED AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE REBELS. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM THE SOUTHERN TURKISH TOWN OF DIYARBAKIR. TEXT: WITNESSES SAY AT LEAST SIX TURKISH F-16 FIGHTER-BOMBERS TOOK OFF FROM A BASE OUTSIDE DIYARBAKIR (SUNDAY) ON WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE ANOTHER AIR RAID AIMED AT REBELS OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K. TURKEY LAUNCHED ITS LATEST MILITARY INCURSION INTO NORTHERN IRAQ TWO WEEKS AGO. ABOUT 15-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS BACKED BY ARTILLERY AND AIR POWER ARE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION. THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL WORD ON THE TARGETS OF THE LATEST AIR STRIKE -- AND GETTING INFORMATION FROM THE AREA HAS BEEN MADE DIFFICULT BY TURKEY'S CLOSURE OF ITS BORDER WITH NORTHERN IRAQ. IRAQ AND MOST ARAB STATES HAVE CONDEMNED THE LATEST TURKISH OFFENSIVE. TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THE CROSS-BORDER RAIDS ARE NECESSARY TO PREVENT REBEL ATTACKS ON TURKISH CIVILIANS. TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THEIR TROOPS HAVE KILLED MORE THAN 400 KURDISH REBELS, AND THE OPERATION HAS DEALT ANOTHER CRIPPLING BLOW TO THE P-K-K. THE SEMI-OFFICIAL ANATOLIAN NEWS AGENCY SAYS THE AIRSTRIKES HAVE FORCED SOME REBEL UNITS TO FLEE TO AREAS NEAR THE IRANIAN BORDER OR TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY OTHER REBEL GROUPS FIGHTING FOR AN INDEPENDENT HOMELAND. A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE P-K-K ON SATURDAY SAID AT LEAST 38 TURKISH TROOPS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE INCURSION BEGAN. MORE THAN 26-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE THE FIGHTING BEGAN MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. (SIGNED) NEB/KBK/DW/RRM 05-Oct-97 11:31 AM EDT (1531 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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