15 Turkish soldiers killed in PKK attack
15 Turkish soldiers killed in clashes with PKK rebels
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Saturday, 04, Oct 2008 11:11
At least 15 Turkish soldiers have died after Kurdish rebels launched a surprise attack on a military outpost.
Turkey has repeatedly conducted air strikes across its border with Iraq to counter Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members who have established bases in its neighbour. Turkey considers the PKK, which is seeking a homeland for Kurds in the country's south-east, to be a terrorist organisation.
A spokesman for Turkey's army, General Metin Gurak, told the country's Anatolia news agency that fifteen of its soldiers and 23 rebels had been killed in the attack in the country's south-east near the city of Semdinli.
Mr Gurak said the army later launched air strikes and used heavy artillery in a counter attack against the terrorists.
Speaking about the operation, he said: "Most of our losses were caused by heavy weapons' fire from the north of Iraq. Twenty-three terrorists were neutralised in the clashes. It is not yet clear how many terrorists were killed by artillery fire and in the strikes by the air force."
Two other Turkish soldiers have suffered serious injuries, he added.
Over 40,000 people have died in clashes between Turkey and the PKK since clashes between the two parties began in 1984.