Turkish warplanes attack Kurdish targets in Iraq

Ankara, June 15 (IANS) Turkish warplanes launched an airstrike operation against some Kurdish targets in northern Iraq, the Defence Ministry here said on Monday.Sunday night's airstrike, coded the Claw-Eagle Operation, targeted a stronghold of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants near the Iranian border and some bases in other areas, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying. "The PKK and other terrorist elements" are attacking Turkish outposts and bases "every day" and threatening the security of the people of Turkey and its border, it said.The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the European Union. It has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years, which has caused the death of more than 40,000 people.Turkey has long been conducting operations against the PKK group in southeastern Turkey and in northern Iraq where the group has hideouts. These operations had been intensified in the past few months.
--IANS ksk/