Turk army gets green light to hit rebels in N.Iraq

[ProSense]

Turk army gets green light to hit rebels in N.Iraq

By Gareth Jones

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's prime minister said on Friday his cabinet had authorized the armed forces to conduct a cross-border operation against Kurdish PKK rebels in northern Iraq, but analysts said major action did not appear imminent.

Tayyip Erdogan's comments, following up on a parliamentary resolution last month and emergency talks with U.S. President George W. Bush, seemed chiefly designed to keep up pressure on U.S. and Iraqi forces to honor pledges to tackle the PKK.

"We took our cabinet meeting decision on November 28 and with the president's approval our Turkish Armed Forces are now authorized for a cross-border operation from November 28," Erdogan said in televised comments.

Turkey has amassed up to 100,000 troops near the mountainous border, backed up by tanks, artillery and warplanes, for a possible strike into mainly Kurdish northern Iraq against rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) hiding there.

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Turkish army 'authorised' for Iraq strike: PM

[bdamomma]

1. oh shit.

[ProSense]

2. Turkey says inflicts heavy casualties on PKK in Iraq

Turkey says inflicts heavy casualties on PKK in Iraq

By Selcuk Gokoluk

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey said it inflicted heavy casualties on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq on Saturday in an "intense intervention" involving helicopters, artillery and a cross-border raid by special forces.

A military official said around 100 special forces crossed into Iraqi territory to hit the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a day after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan announced the cabinet had given a green light to such operations.

The army also fired long-range artillery and sent up to six helicopters to bomb camp used by the PKK 20 km (12 miles) inside Iraq after spotting a group of 50 to 60 guerrillas there, the official said.

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A PKK official who asked not to be named told Reuters in Sulaimaniya, northern Iraq, there had been no operation and the group had suffered no casualties.

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