Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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April 16, 2008

Turkish Air Raid Targets Kurds in Northern Iraq 
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1BE8124:A6F02AD83191E160918C797CC6C8888FE55ED32ED25AB8F6& 
Turkey accuses Kurdistan Worker's Party of using strongholds in northern Iraq to launch attacks 
The Turkish military says its warplanes attacked a group of Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq as they tried to sneak across the border into Turkey.

A military statement issued Wednesday said the raid on Tuesday neutralized the armed group in the Avasin-Basyan area, but did not say if any were killed.

It said the Turkish military also killed at least one militant Tuesday in clashes with PKK rebels in two areas of southeast Turkey. Various weapons and bomb-making equipment were seized from the rebels.

Turkey accuses the Kurdistan Worker's Party, or PKK of using strongholds in northern Iraq to launch attacks. The military has conducted several airstrikes and at least one ground incursion into Iraq against the rebels.

The PKK has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast for nearly 25 years. The violence has killed more than 30,000 people.

Turkey, the United States and other nations have designated the PKK a terrorist group.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.



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