|
Turkish army says 'many' Kurdish PKK
rebels killed in Iraqi Kurdistan raids
30.4.2008
|
|
|
|
April
30, 2008
ANKARA, — The Turkish military, without
giving precise figures, said Tuesday that "many"
Kurdish PKK rebels were killed in two bombing raids
in neighbouring Kurdistan region in "northern Iraq"
last week.
Forty-three fighter jets took part in the air
strikes on Friday and Saturday, which targeted
Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) positions in
the Zap, Avashin and Khakurk regions, the statement
said.
More than 100 rebel targets, including hideouts,
anti-rocket defence posts and communication centres,
were destroyed and "many terrorists believed to be
preparing for attacks against Turkey were rendered
ineffective".
The army will continue to pursue the PKK "both at
home and abroad according to military requirements,"
the statement added.
Turkish warplanes have been bombing PKK positions in
Iraqi semi-autonomous Kurdistan region since
mid-December.
In February, thousands of Turkish troops,www.ekurd.net
backed by tanks,
attack helicopters and warplanes,
crossed into Kurdistan region in northern
Iraq on February 21 in an operation which Ankara said was aimed at Turkey's Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas and their bases, where Ankara estimates more than
2,000 militants take refuge.
The Turkish government has a one-year parliamentary
authorisation, which expires in October, for
cross-border military action against the PKK.
The United States has backed its NATO ally Turkey by
providing real-time intelligence on PKK movements in
Iraqi Kurdistan.
Over 39,000 Turkish soldiers and Kurdish PKK
guerrillas have been killed since 1984 when the PKK
took up arms for self-rule in the country's mainly
Kurdish southeast of Turkey. A large Turkey's
Kurdish community openly sympathise with the Kurdish
PKK rebels.
The PKK demanded Turkey's recognition of the Kurds'
identity in its constitution and of their language
as a native language along with Turkish in the
country's Kurdish areas, the party also demanded
an end to ethnic discrimination in Turkish laws and
constitution against Kurds, ranting them full
political freedoms.
The PKK is considered a 'terrorist' organization by
Ankara, U.S., the PKK continues to be on the
blacklist list in EU despite court ruling which
overturned a decision
to place the Kurdish rebel
group PKK and its political wing on
the European Union's terror list.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
AFP | Agencies
** Kurds are not recognized as an official minority
in Turkey and are denied rights granted to other
minority groups. Under EU pressure, Turkey recently
granted Kurds limited rights for broadcasts and
education in the Kurdish language, but critics say
the measures do not go far enough.
The use of the term "Kurdistan" is vigorously
rejected due to its alleged political implications
by the Republic of Turkey, which does not recognize
the existence of a "Turkish Kurdistan" Southeast
Turkey.
Others estimate over 40 million Kurds live in Big
Kurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Armenia),
which covers an area as big as France, about half of
all Kurds which estimate to 20 million live in
Turkey.
Turkey is home to 25 million ethnic Kurds, a large
Turkey's Kurdish community openly sympathise with
the Kurdish PKK for a Kurdish homeland in the
country's mainly Kurdish southeast of Turkey.
Before August 2002, the Turkish government placed
severe restrictions on the use of Kurdish language,
prohibiting the language in education and broadcast
media. The Kurdish alphabet is still not recognized
in Turkey, and use of the Kurdish letters X, W, Q
which do not exist in the Turkish alphabet has led
to judicial persecution in 2000 and 2003
The Kurdish flag flown officially in Iraqi Kurdistan
but unofficially flown by Kurds in Armenia. The flag
is banned in Iran, Syria, and Turkey where flying it
is a criminal offence"
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey)
wikipedia
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 