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According to Kurdish opposition sources, thousands
of Turkish troops are gathering in positions near
the Iraqi border. They added that the Turkish
military formation was taking place in the Kurdish
areas of southeastern Turkey.
The sources also identified the Turkish forces
deployed near the Iraqi border as units of two
commando brigades, Bolu and Kayseri.
The commando forces were seen in the Cukurca
district of Hakkari, the sources said, adding that
more than 10,000 troops have been deployed in
Cukurca.
Information on the troop deployment was relayed by
the Turkish Gendarmerie Command to forces in the
district.
"It was learned that these preparations are being
carried out within the framework of an operation
against south Kurdistan [northern Iraq]," the
Copenhagen-based Kurdish television Roj, reported on
April 26.
On May 1, the Kurdish Workers Party claimed
responsibility for an explosion that struck western
Turkish resort town of Kusdasi.
Saying that the party also planted bombs in
Istanbul, the Kurdish Liberation Hawks, a PKK wing,
warned Westerners to leave Turkey.
Turkey has been warning it would not tolerate the
presence of the PKK in northern Iraq.
At least 5,000 PKK fighters were said to have been
operating along the northern border.
''It is apparent that the issue of security has
become a matter of concern for Iraq's neighbors,"
said Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
According to Roj television, the Bolu Commando
Brigade, deployed in the Lice district of Diyarbakir,
has been planning to carry out attacks in northern
Iraq. The Television also cited such Iraqi targets
as Akdag, Andok, Dorse, Saggoze and Senyayla
regions.
Earlier this week, foreign ministers of Iraq's
neighboring countries; Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Iran,
Turkey and Egypt, pledged to boost border security
and exchanging intelligence with the country's newly
formed government.
Iraq neighbors, including Syria and Iran, also
agreed to hold a meeting of their interior ministers
in Turkey soon to discuss means to better monitor
their borders.
Syria has announced to restore its diplomatic ties
with Iraq after a break of more than two decades.
Iraq's neighbors have repeatedly expressed their
worries over the violence and ethnic instability in
Iraq. They fear that the unrest in Iraq could spread
throughout the region.
The region’s security was one of the main topics
opened of discussion during the neighbouring
countries' meeting, held at a former Ottoman palace
overlooking the Bosporus.
In their final communique, the neighbors "expressed
their determination ... to increase their
cooperation on the overall border security with Iraq
... including ... exchange of intelligence with
Iraq."
www.turks.us
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