Kurdish rebel killed in clash with Turkish troops

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L07168558.htm

TUNCELI, Turkey, Oct 7 (Reuters) - At least one Kurdish rebel fighter has been killed and three Turkish soldiers wounded in clashes in southeastern Turkey, security officials said on Tuesday.

The fighting, which began late on Monday and continued on Tuesday, coincided with a decision by the Turkish parliament to back the dispatch of peacekeepers to neighbouring Iraq as requested by Ankara's close ally the United States.

NATO member Turkey is hoping that sending troops to help in Iraq will encourage the United States to crack down on the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), also known as KADEK, which is based mainly in camps in northern Iraq.

The PKK launched a bloody struggle for an ethnic homeland in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast in 1984 and more than 30,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the conflict.

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[Wetzelbill]

1. You know this was going to be trouble

No way in hell does Turkey want the Kurds to have some sort of autonomy or a major role in Iraqi government, as it would effect the repression of their own Kurdish population.

[NNN0LHI]

3. They won't have control of any oil either. It all belongs to Junior n/t

[proud patriot]

2. This is not good

:-(

[Barrett808]

4. So it begins

The US-assisted final solution to the Kurd problem.

Turkey, US agree on "action plan" to purge N.Iraq of Kurdish rebels
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031002/pl_afp/iraq_turkey_us_kurds

Turks, U.S. Agree Plan to Tackle Kurd Rebels
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=3546261

Turkey's Cabinet Approves Troops for Iraq
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-turkey-us-iraq,0,1339969.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[karlschneider]

5. Gosh, lemme think now...who encouraged Turkey get its military

involved...hmmm.

Wonder if the Kurds are stocked up on rose petals...
:grr:

[Barrett808]

6. "Helicopter gunships"

"...the military was using helicopter gunships to track down the rebels in the latest battle."

I wonder just what kind of helicopter gunships Turkey is using.