Tue, May 22 2012

Turkey resumes air strikes in northern Iraq

Fri, Mar 21 2008 13:49 CET

byElena Koinova

653 Views

Turkish fighter jets hit cells of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq late on March 20, Turkish news channel NTV reported. The fighter jets set out from Diarbekir, in southeastern Turkey.

This is the first air attack since Turkey ended its eight-day ground incursion into northern Iraq on February 29.

The Turkish military would not immediately confirm reconnaissance flights, although Turkey's chief of staff, General Yasar Buyukanit, said Turkey would continue its attacks against Kurdish guerrillas in northern Iraq. Later in the day, several fighter jets took off from an air base in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's mostly Kurdish southeast.

Earlier in March, Iraqi president Jalal Talabani extended support for Turkey's efforts and said Iraq would do all possible to pressure PKK militants to lay down arms.

In related news, the Turkish parliament discussed on March 20 behind closed doors the impact of the ground incursion into Iraq. The discussion took place at the request of opposition leaders in Turkey, who insisted that the ground operation should have been more encompassing and longer.

The Turkish military defied statements that the operation was stopped as a consequence of US pressure.

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