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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Turkish troops 'move out of Iraq' | Turkish troops 'move out of Iraq' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Iraq's foreign minister has said all Turkish troops have left northern Iraq after mounting a controversial ground offensive against Kurdish rebels. | Iraq's foreign minister has said all Turkish troops have left northern Iraq after mounting a controversial ground offensive against Kurdish rebels. |
| But amid conflicting reports, US and Kurdish sources have said it is too early to call the move a full pull-out. | But amid conflicting reports, US and Kurdish sources have said it is too early to call the move a full pull-out. |
| Turkey's military said it would make a statement later. | Turkey's military said it would make a statement later. |
| Turkey launched the cross-border attack last Thursday, accusing Iraq of failing to stop members of the Kurdish PKK from using the area as a safe haven. | Turkey launched the cross-border attack last Thursday, accusing Iraq of failing to stop members of the Kurdish PKK from using the area as a safe haven. |
| The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says the Turkish military is not denying the claims of a pull-out but they are certainly not confirming it, while the lips of government ministers in Ankara remain sealed. | The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says the Turkish military is not denying the claims of a pull-out but they are certainly not confirming it, while the lips of government ministers in Ankara remain sealed. |
| Confusion | Confusion |
| Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told journalists on Friday: "All the Turkish troops have withdrawn and gone back to the Turkish side of the international border." | Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told journalists on Friday: "All the Turkish troops have withdrawn and gone back to the Turkish side of the international border." |
| "We welcome this, we think this is the right thing for Turkey to do," added Mr Zebari, who is an ethnic Kurd. | "We welcome this, we think this is the right thing for Turkey to do," added Mr Zebari, who is an ethnic Kurd. |
| Click to view a detailed map of the border regionEnlarge Map | Click to view a detailed map of the border regionEnlarge Map |
| But an unnamed US official in Baghdad said in an email to the Reuters news agency that it was "too early to call this a withdrawal". | |
| A Turkish military source told the agency that all troops had fully withdrawn from the key Zap valley of northern Iraq. | |
| However, a PKK spokesman quoted by AFP described the withdrawal as "limited". | |
| The development comes a day after President George W Bush urged Nato ally Turkey to wind up the raid and get out of Iraq. | |
| US Defence Secretary Robert Gates personally conveyed the message during talks in Ankara on Thursday. | US Defence Secretary Robert Gates personally conveyed the message during talks in Ankara on Thursday. |
| Iraq says the incursion is unacceptable and violates its sovereignty. | Iraq says the incursion is unacceptable and violates its sovereignty. |
| Show of strength | |
| But Ankara argues that as many as 3,000 Kurdish rebels use the region as a springboard for raids on Turkey. | But Ankara argues that as many as 3,000 Kurdish rebels use the region as a springboard for raids on Turkey. |
| The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is branded a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and EU. | |
| It has launched a number of attacks on Turkish troops and civilians from northern Iraq. | |
| Analysts say Turkey had to mount a show of strength after a wave of devastating PKK ambushes on Turkish troops in September and October last year. | Analysts say Turkey had to mount a show of strength after a wave of devastating PKK ambushes on Turkish troops in September and October last year. |
| Turkey's campaign began with air strikes in December, supported by real-time intelligence from the US. Deploying ground troops was a crucial follow-up. | Turkey's campaign began with air strikes in December, supported by real-time intelligence from the US. Deploying ground troops was a crucial follow-up. |
| The strategic aim of the operation is to demolish the main PKK bases in northern Iraq and prevent fresh attacks from there in spring, analysts say. | The strategic aim of the operation is to demolish the main PKK bases in northern Iraq and prevent fresh attacks from there in spring, analysts say. |
| Reports from Turkey on the size of the assault force have varied from 3,000 to 10,000 soldiers. | Reports from Turkey on the size of the assault force have varied from 3,000 to 10,000 soldiers. |
| Turkey says 24 soldiers and 237 rebels have been killed. The PKK says it has killed over 100 soldiers. | Turkey says 24 soldiers and 237 rebels have been killed. The PKK says it has killed over 100 soldiers. |
| More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began fighting for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey in 1984. | More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began fighting for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey in 1984. |