Sources: Thousands of Turkish troops enter Iraq

[seemslikeadream]

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/06/turkey.iraq.ap/index.html

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Several thousand Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq early Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas who operate from bases there, Turkish security officials said.

Two senior security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said the raid was limited in scope and that it did not constitute the kind of large incursion that Turkish leaders have been discussing in recent weeks.

"It is not a major offensive and the number of troops is not in the tens of thousands," one of the officials told The Associated Press by telephone. The official is based in southeast Turkey, where the military has been battling separatist Kurdish rebels since they took up arms in 1984.

The officials did not say where the Turkish force was operating in northern Iraq, nor did he say how long they would be there. Both officials are involved in anti-rebel operations, though they did not disclose whether they participated in the planning of the operation on Wednesday.

Col. Hussein Rashid, a top official with the Iraqi border guards, dismissed the report.

"Not even a single Turkish soldier has entered Iraqi territory," he said by telephone from his post near the border with Turkey, although he pointed out that Turkish troops have been operating very close to the border as part of a recent buildup. "I have made contacts with many border posts and none report any incident."



http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=hotStocksNewsUS&storyID=2007-06-06T164727Z_01_SP207474_RTRUKOC_0_US-MARKETS-OIL.xml

Oil rises on report of Turkish troops in Iraq

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose over $71 a barrel on Wednesday after news Turkish troops conducted operations in northern Iraq rekindled concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Prices were also buoyed by a U.S. government report showing the nation's refineries struggling to boost fuel production at the start of the peak demand summer vacation season, and disruptions in oil and gas exports from Oman after a cyclone in the Arabian Sea shut loading operations.

London Brent crude <LCOc1> jumped 73 cents to $71.18 a barrel by 1630 GMT. U.S. crude <CLc1> was up 46 cents to $66.07 a barrel.

Turkish troops conducted a "limited operation" into northern Iraq in recent days in pursuit of Kurdish rebels, a military official said on Wednesday.


U.S. oil traders said they were concerned the incursion could escalate tension in the energy-rich region.

[Perky]

1. You are a dupe btw

[roamer65]

2. I'd say it's a small scale incursion to test border defenses.

Simply a preamble to the possible larger invasion.

[damntexdem]

3. Ain't no surge.

Just a minor Turge. ;-)

[johnaries]

4. This must be what Joe for Clark was talking about.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1041413

[seemslikeadream]

5. Kurdish guerrillas kill 7 in attack on Turkish military outpost

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070604.wturks0604/BNStory/International/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20070604.wturks0604

Kurdish guerrillas kill 7 in attack on Turkish military outpost
SELCAN HACAOGLU

Associated Press

June 4, 2007 at 9:39 PM EDT

ANKARA, Turkey — Kurdish guerrillas fired rockets and grenades at a Turkish military outpost Monday, killing seven soldiers in an attack that heightened tension at a time when Turkey has threatened military action against Kurds in northern Iraq.

The army sent helicopter gunships and reinforcements to Tunceli province in southeastern Turkey after two guerrillas rammed a vehicle into the military post, threw hand grenades and opened fire with automatic weapons, the governor's office said.

Soldiers returned fire, killing one attacker who authorities said had explosives strapped to his body. Local media said the second attacker escaped injured.

Several other guerrillas simultaneously opened fire on the outpost from a nearby forest, the governor's office said. The attack left seven soldiers dead and seven injured. One of the injured was in critical condition, authorities said.

The attack came as Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told European Union officials visiting Ankara: “We have every right to take measures against terrorist activities directed at us from northern Iraq.”

Turkey's political and military leaders have been debating whether to stage an incursion into northern Iraq to try and root out Kurdish bases.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose country holds the EU presidency, said he “did not get the impression that Turkey would stage an incursion.”


http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/06/05/militant_attack_in_turkey_kills_8/

Militant attack in Turkey kills 8
Paramilitary headquarters hit
By Ferit Demir, Reuters | June 5, 2007

TUNCELI, Turkey -- At least eight Turkish paramilitary police were killed when Kurdish militants attacked their headquarters in eastern Turkey yesterday , security sources said, in the worst attack of its kind in a year.

Breaking News Alerts The attack, blamed on the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), came amid speculation Turkey may send troops into neighboring northern Iraq to crush Kurdish rebels based there, despite pleas from the United States to avoid military action.

Three people thought to belong to the PKK drove into the gendarmerie complex in the eastern province of Tunceli, opened fire and threw a grenade, killing eight and wounding six more. One guerrilla was also killed, the security sources said.

The gendarmerie is a paramilitary force responsible for security in rural areas of Turkey.

The attack, which security sources earlier described as a suicide bombing, is the second big assault on Turkish forces in two weeks and will exacerbate political and security tensions in Turkey as it prepares for July elections


http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/?c=ireland&jp=mhkfmhqlcwau

Soldiers killed on Turkish military outpost
05/06/2007 - 07:06:22

Kurdish rebels fired rockets and grenades at a Turkish military outpost, killing seven soldiers.

The army sent helicopter gunships and reinforcements to Tunceli province in southeastern Turkey after two guerrillas rammed a vehicle into the military post yesterday, throwing hand grenades and opening fire with automatic weapons, the governor’s office announced.

Soldiers returned fire, killing one of them – who had explosives strapped to his body, the governor’s office said. Local media said the second attacker escaped injured.

Several other guerrillas simultaneously opened fire on the outpost from a nearby forest, the governor’s office said. The attack left seven soldiers dead and seven others injured. One of the injured was in critical condition, authorities said.

The attack came as Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told European Union officials visiting Ankara that “we have every right to take measures against terrorist activities directed at us from northern Iraq”.