Turkey Pursue the PKK

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Baghdad- Turkish military planes entered Iraqi territory last night in pursuit of PKK rebels who had killed 28 Turkish troops in Southeast Turkey. The rebels are part of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), are fighting for autonomy in Turkey. The rebels attacked Turkish military installations in two cities near the Iraqi border. Turkey retaliated by sending in Helicopter gunships and air force bombers. Istanbul based Dogan news agency reports that 20 Kurdish fighters have died since the counteroffensive by Turkey but the PKK leader disputes that.
The government of the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan disavowed the attacks and called it counterproductive to Kurdish interests.
Source : http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkey-mounts-counterattack-in-iraq/2011/10/19/gIQANR3wxL_story.html
Reliability (9)
Comments:  Kurds are minority group in Iraq and Turkish and have clamored for independence for decades. Kurds inhabit Southeast Turkey and Northern Iraq and the region is strife with skirmish between the different groups. Since 1984, over 40,000 people have died when the PKK launched a violent and prolonged campaign to gain independence from Turkey. The United States has designated the PKK as a terrorist group and has collaborated with Turkey in gathering intelligence for counterterrorism efforts.  Turkish retaliation is not a new phenomena Turkish air strikes has killed over 150 Kurdish rebels since June.

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