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| Iraq |
| (Thousands of) Turkish Troops Enter Iraq (or not) |
| 2007-06-06 |
| Turkish officials: Troops enter Iraq By SELCAN HACAOGLU, Associated Press Writer ANKARA, Turkey - Several thousand Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq early Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas who attack Turkey from bases there, two Turkish security officials said. Turkey's foreign minister denied its troops had entered Iraq. Two senior security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, characterized the action as a "hot pursuit" raid that was limited in scope. They told The Associated Press it did not constitute the kind of large incursion that Turkish leaders have been discussing in recent weeks as Turkish troops built up their force along the border. One official said the troops went less than two miles inside Iraq and were still there in late afternoon. "It is a hot pursuit, not an incursion," one official said. The officials stood by their statement despite denials from Turkish and Iraqi officials. Turkey's private NTV television quoted Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as saying reports of a cross-border operation were false. "There is no such thing, no entry to another country. If such a thing happens, then we would announce it," Gul said. "We are in a war with terror, we will do whatever is necessary to fight terrorism." Several military officials at the Pentagon said they have seen nothing Wednesday that would confirm the reports of Turkish troops crossing the border into Iraq. One military official said that small numbers of Turkish forces periodically move in and out of Iraq doing counterinsurgency operations, but not thousands at one time. The officials requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information. The White House said there has been "no new activity" in northern Iraq to justify the press reports. Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, said that U.S. officials in the region have confirmed that the activity is a continuation of Turkey's years-long campaign against the Kurdish PKK guerrillas of Kurdistan Workers' Party. "The Turkish government reports no new incursions into northern Iraq," Johndroe said. "U.S. officials on the ground confirm no new activity." Johndroe said Washington remains "concerned about the PKK and the use of Iraq as a safe haven." Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a military spokesman in Baghdad, said he could not confirm any Turkish troops were in Iraq but "we are looking into it and obviously we are very concerned." The last major Turkish incursion into northern Iraq was in 1997, when about 50,000 troops were sent to the region. |
| Posted by:Glenmore |
| #2 I hope the IA shows 'em where the border is. |
| Posted by: mojo 2007-06-06 15:38 |
| #1 I could see the Turks saying they crossed to scare the PPK into thinking they were not safe and had to base further from the border while knowing just saying so would not really freak out the US and allies. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-06-06 14:01 |