This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7149364.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Turkish soldiers cross into Iraq | Turkish soldiers cross into Iraq |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| About 300 Turkish troops have crossed into northern Iraq in a raid against Kurdish rebels, Iraqi officials say. | About 300 Turkish troops have crossed into northern Iraq in a raid against Kurdish rebels, Iraqi officials say. |
| The lightly-armed soldiers moved up to three kilometres (1.9 miles) inside Iraq, an Iraqi Kurdish official said. | The lightly-armed soldiers moved up to three kilometres (1.9 miles) inside Iraq, an Iraqi Kurdish official said. |
| It is believed to be the first major Turkish troop deployment in Iraq since the cabinet backed the move last month to hunt PKK rebels based there. | It is believed to be the first major Turkish troop deployment in Iraq since the cabinet backed the move last month to hunt PKK rebels based there. |
| Separately, Turkish police have held the leader of Turkey's main Kurdish party for using false documents. | Separately, Turkish police have held the leader of Turkey's main Kurdish party for using false documents. |
| Nurettin Demirtas, the head of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), was detained on Monday evening at Ankara's airport on his return from Germany. | Nurettin Demirtas, the head of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), was detained on Monday evening at Ankara's airport on his return from Germany. |
| He is accused of submitting a fake health report to avoid military service, his party said. | He is accused of submitting a fake health report to avoid military service, his party said. |
| The DTP has 20 members of parliament and seeks autonomy for mainly Kurdish south-eastern Turkey. It denies any links to the rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). | The DTP has 20 members of parliament and seeks autonomy for mainly Kurdish south-eastern Turkey. It denies any links to the rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). |
| 'Limited' operation | 'Limited' operation |
| A spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga security forces told the BBC that the Turkish troops entered Iraq overnight in an area called Seeda Kan - in the triangle between Iraq, Iran and Turkey | A spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga security forces told the BBC that the Turkish troops entered Iraq overnight in an area called Seeda Kan - in the triangle between Iraq, Iran and Turkey |
| href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1197989645/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1197989645/html/1.stm', '1197989676', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=268,left=312,top=100'); return false;"> href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1197989645/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/middle_east_enl_1197989645/html/1.stm', '1197989676', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=416,height=268,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map | |
| He said it was a mountainous area with very difficult terrain. | He said it was a mountainous area with very difficult terrain. |
| Iraqi forces also reported hearing small arms fire from the area. | Iraqi forces also reported hearing small arms fire from the area. |
| A senior Iraqi military source told Reuters that the operation appeared to be limited and was unlikely to expand. | A senior Iraqi military source told Reuters that the operation appeared to be limited and was unlikely to expand. |
| The Turkish army accuses PKK rebels of using bases inside Iraq to launch attacks on Turkey. | The Turkish army accuses PKK rebels of using bases inside Iraq to launch attacks on Turkey. |
| The Iraqi Kurdish regional authorities condemned the incursion. | The Iraqi Kurdish regional authorities condemned the incursion. |
| "Turkey wants to transfer the problem onto the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan," said Fouad Hussein, a senior official in the office of Kurdish regional President Massoud Barzani said. | "Turkey wants to transfer the problem onto the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan," said Fouad Hussein, a senior official in the office of Kurdish regional President Massoud Barzani said. |
| Unnamed Turkish officials later confirmed the raid. | Unnamed Turkish officials later confirmed the raid. |
| Turkish President Abdullah Gul was quoted by Turkish media as saying the army was doing "what is necessary". He declined to give any further details. | Turkish President Abdullah Gul was quoted by Turkish media as saying the army was doing "what is necessary". He declined to give any further details. |
| Weekend air raids | Weekend air raids |
| The troops move came after Turkish warplanes bombed suspected PKK bases in northern Iraq over the weekend. | The troops move came after Turkish warplanes bombed suspected PKK bases in northern Iraq over the weekend. |
| MOUNTING BORDER TENSION 7 Oct PKK rebels kill 13 Turkish troops near Iraqi border17 Oct - Turkish MPs allow military operations in Iraq21 Oct - 12 Turkish troops die in PKK ambush near Iraqi border 30 Nov - Turkish cabinet backs PKK pursuits in Iraq 13 Nov - Turkey shells PKK targets in Iraq, Baghdad says1 Dec - Turkish army targets rebels in Iraq, inflicting "heavy losses"16 Dec - Turkish jets bomb PKK targets in Iraq for the first time | MOUNTING BORDER TENSION 7 Oct PKK rebels kill 13 Turkish troops near Iraqi border17 Oct - Turkish MPs allow military operations in Iraq21 Oct - 12 Turkish troops die in PKK ambush near Iraqi border 30 Nov - Turkish cabinet backs PKK pursuits in Iraq 13 Nov - Turkey shells PKK targets in Iraq, Baghdad says1 Dec - Turkish army targets rebels in Iraq, inflicting "heavy losses"16 Dec - Turkish jets bomb PKK targets in Iraq for the first time |
| Iraqi officials have said bombs hit 10 villages, killing one woman, while the PKK has reported seven deaths. | Iraqi officials have said bombs hit 10 villages, killing one woman, while the PKK has reported seven deaths. |
| In October, Turkey's parliament voted to allow the military to launch operations into Iraq to combat the PKK, which had stepped up attacks in Turkey. | In October, Turkey's parliament voted to allow the military to launch operations into Iraq to combat the PKK, which had stepped up attacks in Turkey. |
| Ankara has massed up to 100,000 troops near the mountainous border with northern Iraq, backed by tanks, artillery and warplanes. | Ankara has massed up to 100,000 troops near the mountainous border with northern Iraq, backed by tanks, artillery and warplanes. |
| But Iraq and the US have urged Turkey not to carry out its threat. | But Iraq and the US have urged Turkey not to carry out its threat. |
| As many as 3,000 PKK members are believed to be based inside northern Iraq. Turkey has accused the local Kurdish authorities of supporting them. | As many as 3,000 PKK members are believed to be based inside northern Iraq. Turkey has accused the local Kurdish authorities of supporting them. |