Turkey says 35 PKK rebels killed in raid
Turkey reveals up to 35 PKK rebels were killed in this week's strike on Iraqi border
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Friday, 17, Oct 2008 12:48
Turkey has revealed that up to 35 PKK rebels were killed in this week's strike on the Iraqi border.
The country's army said intercepted radio chatter had seen the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK) inadvertently reveal the death-toll from Tuesday's raid in Sirnak.
"As you can see the organisation has suffered heavily. We are still sweeping the area," said Generla Metin Gurak.
"We do not have an official statement yet."
The PKK has been campaigning for an independent Kurdish state since the 1980s, with up to 45,000 people killed as a result.
This week Turkey's parliament granted a 12-month extension to the army's mandate to conduct cross-border raids against separatists.
The current mandate had been due to expire today.