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| Turkish troops killed in clashes | Turkish troops killed in clashes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Kurdish rebels have killed 15 Turkish soldiers near Semdinli in the country's south-east, the military says. | Kurdish rebels have killed 15 Turkish soldiers near Semdinli in the country's south-east, the military says. |
| The soldiers died during an attack by fighters said to be from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), based over the border in northern Iraq. | The soldiers died during an attack by fighters said to be from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), based over the border in northern Iraq. |
| Generals said troops fought back, killing 23 rebels, but that two soldiers were missing after the attack. | |
| Turkey blames the PKK for a series of bomb attacks on its cities, and often targets rebels with air strikes. | Turkey blames the PKK for a series of bomb attacks on its cities, and often targets rebels with air strikes. |
| More than 40,000 people are thought to have been killed since 1984, when the PKK launched its campaign for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey. | More than 40,000 people are thought to have been killed since 1984, when the PKK launched its campaign for a Kurdish homeland in south-eastern Turkey. |
| The latest attack was a surprise strike on a military outpost by guerrillas using heavy weapons. | |
| The ambush prompted the most intense fighting and led to the highest number of casualties in a year, says the BBC's Turkey correspondent Sarah Rainsford. | |
| Ongoing fight | Ongoing fight |
| Turkey has launched a number of military incursions across the border into northern Iraq since the start of 2008. | Turkey has launched a number of military incursions across the border into northern Iraq since the start of 2008. |
| Generals accuse the PKK of using the region as a sanctuary from where to plan and carry out deadly attacks against Turkish troops in the south and eastern regions of Turkey. | Generals accuse the PKK of using the region as a sanctuary from where to plan and carry out deadly attacks against Turkish troops in the south and eastern regions of Turkey. |
| Troops and rebels have regularly exchanged fire in the border regions in recent months. | Troops and rebels have regularly exchanged fire in the border regions in recent months. |
| In May, the military said a week of air strikes had killed 150 PKK guerrillas. | In May, the military said a week of air strikes had killed 150 PKK guerrillas. |
| In the fiercest fighting, thousands of Turkish troops swept across the border into Iraq in February, before pulling out amid international pressure. | In the fiercest fighting, thousands of Turkish troops swept across the border into Iraq in February, before pulling out amid international pressure. |
| The government, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is currently asking parliament to extend the military's mandate to carry out cross-border operations, something that is now highly likely to be approved, our correspondent says. | |
| Ankara has linked the PKK to a series of high-profile attacks on Turkish targets, notably a series of blasts in Istanbul in July. | Ankara has linked the PKK to a series of high-profile attacks on Turkish targets, notably a series of blasts in Istanbul in July. |
| Seventeen people died and some 150 others were injured when two bombs exploded in a residential area of the country's largest city. | Seventeen people died and some 150 others were injured when two bombs exploded in a residential area of the country's largest city. |
| Also in July three German climbers were taken hostage by the PKK in eastern Turkey. They were later freed unharmed. | Also in July three German climbers were taken hostage by the PKK in eastern Turkey. They were later freed unharmed. |