Middle East News

US urged Turkey to limit operations in northern Iraq

Feb 22, 2008, 17:33 GMT

Washington - The United States urged Turkey to limit the scope of its military incursion after receiving advance warning from Ankara of the plans to go after Kurdish PKK separatists in northern Iraq, the White House said Friday. 'We were notified, and we urged the Turkish government to limit their operations to precise targeting of the PKK (and) to limit the scope and duration of their operations,' said Scott Stanzel, a deputy White House spokesman. About 10,000 Turkish troops marched into Iraq to attack bases in mountainous northern Iraq used by the Kurdish separatists to carry out attacks on Turkey. Cobra attack helicopters accompanied the troops to provide air support. The Turkish military has estimated there are about 4,000 to 5,000 PKK guerrillas in northern Iraq, and regularly carries out airstrikes against the rebels. The United States has supported Turkey's right to defend itself against the PKK, which stands for Kurdish Workers' Party, but has asked Ankara to coordinate any military activities against the PPK in Iraq with the United States and Iraqi authorities. 'The PKK is a terrorist organization, and it is an enemy of Turkey, Iraq, and the United States,' Stanzel said. Turkish Prime Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Ankara the operation was strictly limited to hitting the PKK and that he informed US President George W Bush of the plans in a telephone call on Thursday evening.

Middle East News

US urged Turkey to limit operations in northern Iraq

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