Turkish planes bomb northern Iraq: officials

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Turkish planes bomb northern Iraq: officials
Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:10am EST

By Sherko Raouf

SULAIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes
bombed villages deep in northern Iraq early on Sunday,
killing one woman and wounding two other people in one
of the heaviest raids against Kurdish rebels in months,
local officials said.

In Ankara, the Turkish military's General Staff said in
a statement its warplanes had attacked targets of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which uses
northern Iraq as a base from which to attack security
forces inside Turkey.

If the death is confirmed it would be the first since
Turkey stepped up artillery bombardments and airstrikes
on suspected PKK bases in northern Iraq in recent
months.

The mayors of Jarawa and Sankasar, two towns north
of the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya, said the
airstrikes were launched at 2 a.m. (6 p.m. EST) and
continued for several hours. Several homes and a school
were destroyed in villages around 100 km south of the
Turkish border, they said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL1653612720071216

[silverlil]

1. oh dear!

Did Turkey get permission from Israel to do this?

[ingac70]

2. Hey, they've gotta go after the "terra-ists"!

It isn't like the precedent was not already set. At least in Turkey's case, the folks that attack their country are actually from Iraq!

[boricua79]

5. actually, yes they are.

The Kurdistan Workers Party has been defying the central government in Iraq AND launching attacks against Turkish forces IN Turkish territory. THey do so to create their dream homeland of Kurdistan.

Right now, they're committing terrorism against Turkey, and Turkey's waited 4-5 years to do this.

I don't really blame Turkey or see an "ISraeli hand" in this. This is a country defending themselves from non-governmental guerrillas.

[Alameda]

6. you are absolutely correct

how many more dead Turks does anyone expect to be paid for the PKK and their affiliates "peaceful" Northern Iraq?

[theredpen]

7. Let's not overlook the conspicuous inaction of either Kurdish or coalition forces. n/t

[Hulk]

3. Guess Northtern Iraq is ready for Turkey's democracy...eh?

[KoKo]

4. Waiting for Blitzer to carry on about it on CNN this a.m...so far nothing...

interesting how they've been told to shut up about the WAR... Apparently, Dems are going along with it...reports that the WAR will not be the issue for '08...because Americans aren't interested in it anymore...think it's going well.

So...will be interesting if anyone covers this fairly. Guess we will have to depend on Juan Cole for the truth..