Turkey Bombs Kurdish Targets in Iraq

Iraqi officials say Turkish warplanes have bombed targets in the Kurdish autonomous region of northern Iraq, wounding one civilian.

The officials say Turkey bombed the village of Sidakan near the Iranian border Saturday.

There was no immediate confirmation of the strike from the Turkish military.

Clashes between Turks and Kurds have increased since the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, called off a yearlong cease-fire in June. The group cited repeated Turkish military attacks for ending the truce.

The PKK is fighting for Kurdish autonomy in southeastern Turkey, and has bases in northern Iraq.

Turkish warplanes strike PKK targets in N Iraq

Turkish General Staff said on Friday that air strikes have been waged against targets of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) based in northern Iraq during the last two days, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

General Staff Communication Department Chief Gen. Metin Gurak was quoted as saying at a weekly press briefing in capital Ankara on Friday that Turkish warplanes hit PKK targets in Hakurk region during Feb. 4-5.

Necessary precautions were taken as usual during the air operation to avoid any harm to civilians, he added.

He said two PKK members were captured and one PKK member surrendered to Turkish Security Forces during the counter-terrorism activities carried out by Turkish Armed Forces since Jan. 30.

The Turkish forces take tougher actions against the PKK after the country's legislature extended on Oct. 8 the government's mandate to launch cross-border operations against the rebels in northern Iraq.

The PKK took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Some 40,000 people have been killed in the over-two-decade conflict.