Our Affiliates
 
 
RFE/RL Radio
 
 
 

RFE/RL Iran Coverage Cited Around the World 

RFE/RL's coverage of the post-election crisis in Iran has been cited by a variety of media outlets around the world. More
 
 
More Articles
 
 
 
 
 

By Country / Iraq

Turkey Threatens To Attack Kurdish Rebels In Iraq

April 13, 2007

General Yasar Buyukanit speaking on April 12 (epa)

General Yasar Buyukanit speaking on April 12 (epa)

April 13, 2007 -- Turkey's top general has called for military operations in northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels hiding there.

But Yasar Buyukanit, the head of the Turkish military's General Staff, said a political decision was needed before any such cross-border operation could be made.

"Do we need to have an operation into northern Iraq? There are two aspects to this issue," he said. "First, from a military point of view, an operation in northern Iraq must be made. Will there be any benefits? Yes there will be. The second aspect is political. To make an operation beyond our borders, there must be a political decision."

Turkey has repeatedly urged the Iraqi government and U.S. forces in Iraq to crack down on thousands of rebels from the outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who use northern Iraq to launch attacks inside Turkey.

The U.S. State Department called on Turkey to refrain from launching cross-border raids and called on Baghdad and Ankara to work together to resolve the matter.

Spokesman Sean McCormack said the Ankara government faces a "real threat" from Kurdish militants and that the situation should be dealt with. But, he said, instead of crossing into Iraq, Baghdad and Ankara should cooperate.

(Reuters, AFP)
 
 
TEXT SIZE
Iraq's Kurdish Region

KURDISH AWAKENING: The ethnic Kurdish region in the northern part of Iraq has struggled in recent years to reestablish its cultural and political identity after decades of oppression under the regime of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. In December, RFE/RL correspondent Charles Recknagel traveled to this area and filed several reports:

Relative Peace Underscores Issue Of Kurdish Region's Future

Kurdish Culture Begins To Flourish In Kurdistan Region

Kurds Ponder How To Strengthen Autonomy After Elections

Irbil’s Kurds Live On A Hill Of Undiscovered Treasures


THE COMPLETE STORY: RFE/RL's complete coverage of events in Iraq and that country's ongoing transition.
Related Articles
Editors' Picks
U.S.-Russia
A First Step In Moscow 
 
 
China Riots
Uyghurs Abroad Blame Beijing 
 
 
Transmission Blog
The Week In Facebook 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Follow Us On Twitter

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from RFE/RL's broadcast region by following us on Twitter:
~ You can find our instant news feed at @RFE_RLNEWS.
~ An obsessive Kremlin watcher? Follow our blog at @PowerVertical.
~ Human rights abuses chronicled at @RightsWatchdog.
~ News, comment, and the odd silly dictator story at @TransmissionRFE.

 
 
 

Products and services: