Posted on 06/08/2007 12:00:45 AM PDT by BlackVeil
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's military command declared its "unshakable determination" early Friday to defeat Kurdish separatists hours after a roadside bomb killed three Turkish soldiers and wounded six.
The attack Thursday evening occurred in one of several "temporary security zones" that the military had just declared along the Iraq border during its campaign against the guerrillas.
Authorities blamed the Kurdish rebels for the blast, which came amid increasing activity by Turkish troops along the frontier that has fed concerns the army might stage a large-scale offensive against rebel bases in the predominantly Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Turkish leaders say guerrillas cross into Turkey to stage attacks in their recently escalated fight to win autonomy for southeastern Turkey, where ethnic Kurds make up much of the population.
In a statement on its website, the military's General Staff vowed to fight the rebels and called on all Turks to stand together "to resist in the face of these terrorist actions."
"The Turkish Armed Forces has an unshakable determination in fighting terrorism and it will absolutely give the necessary answer to such attacks," it said.
The bomb targeted a military vehicle near Siirt, a city 75 kilometres north of the Iraq border, the governor's office said. It killed three soldiers and wounded six other security personnel, including pro-government village guards, the office said.
Turkey has grown increasingly frustrated with the rise in attacks by the PKK rebel movement, and its leaders have sent more troops to the frontier while publicly raising the possibility of sending the army into northern Iraq.
On Wednesday, the military said it was establishing "temporary security zones" near the border. The declaration came the same day that Turkish security officials and an Iraqi Kurdish official said hundreds of Turkish soldiers crossed the border pursuing guerrillas.
Turkey's foreign minister denied there was a cross-border operation. Turkey is an ally of the United States, and U.S. officials have argued against an attack into Iraq, fearing that might drag its Iraqi Kurdish allies into the conflict.
Some think Turkey may hope its military buildup will push the United States and Iraqi Kurds to crack down on the separatists and head off a Turkish offensive.
The military did not say what it meant by "temporary security zones." Some Turkish media said the areas would be closed to civilian plane flights, but others said additional security measures would be implemented in the zones and entry would be restricted.
In a statement posted on its website, the military said the zones would be in place until Sept. 9, but gave no other information.
Newspapers said the areas are in Sirnak, Siirt and Hakkari provinces. Sirnak and Hakkari are next to the border, while Siirt is north of the frontier. All three provinces have been the scene of fighting with Kurdish rebels.
Some Turkish officials have said that if troops stage a major incursion into Iraq, they might set up a buffer zone inside Iraq to try to stop rebel infiltration.
The “roadside bomb” is now spreading out of Iraq, and into neighbouring countries.
A significant development.
The government in Ankara should try to negotiate a political settlement with the Kurdish Guerillas and perhaps give some autonomy in the Kurdish part of Turkey while giving up their arms.
The Kurds in Iraq have staged at least a dozen major rebellions against the Government in the last century, until they received authonomy. When they had authonomy and self-determination the Kurds turned from mountain robbers into one of the most progressive Middle Eastern People.
The Turkish hyper-chauvinism and brutal opression of anything Kurdish from language and culture to politics has to stop.
Give the Kurds a goddamn bit of self-rule and they’ll have their peace.
Nice to see terrorist supporters at Free Republic. PKK is a terrorist organization pure and simple. They have nothing to do with everyday Kurds.
The Turks better prepare to be conquered.
Blasphemous? Alright I see which word you object. Sorry for that. It was meant as an forceful expression. As a Christian I should take care of that.
Agree. Did I say something contrary?
They (PKK) have nothing to do with everyday Kurds.
Turkey represses also those "everyday Kurds". I wish the Turkish authorities would view it the same way you do... If they would target PKK exclusively I would be the last to object.
Nice to see terrorist supporters at Free Republic.
Talking about me? I just legitimately defended the Kurdish position. They ought to have at least semi-authonomy in Turkey. There is NO reason in the world, why they shouldn't. I wasn't defending PKK at all. If Turkey want's to subdue and stop PKK effectively, they should give the Kurds more self-rule.
Speaking about terrorist supporters... Turkey's attitude in 2002/2003 regarding Iraq, and Turkey's growing alliance with Iran gives one reason to think.
I assume that you live in southeastern Turkey since you seem to have such a solid and undisputable view that Turks are somehow persecuting Kurds. The problem there is unemployment caused by high birth rates and limited economic activity and not persecution. I am not at all surprised at the level of anti-Turkish rhetoric in this forum. Decades of negative propaganda has finally paid off. You are merely a victim of a systematic campaign to degrade anything Turkish.
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