September 29, 2007:
Turkey and Iraq signed an agreement to cooperate in preventing PKK rebels from committing
terrorist attacks inside Turkey.
However, Iraq refused to allow Turkish troops to pursue PKK fighters into Iraq. The Turks sometimes do
this anyway, and have been trying, for years, to get the Iraqis to
officially allow this. The new deal
involves more sharing of information, and better border security by the Iraqis (that is, the Kurds who run
northern Iraq). The Turks are not
optimistic that the Iraqis will deliver.
September 28, 2007:
Turkey''s "fall counter-offensive" against the PKK appears to be gearing up. Several clashes in
the last week resulted in 16 dead PKK
fighters. Active operations are taking place in the key southern and south-eastern provinces. The
Turks have deployed new ground radars to
help monitor PKK infiltration via mountain passes and other routes the PKK is known to use. Turkey
is also using acoustic and seismic sensors.
September 25, 2007:
Turkey is deeply disturbed by the fact that
weapons supplied by the US to Iraq have turned up in the hands of
the PKK. Turkey also urged the US
Congress to "avoid taking sides" regarding
the Armenian genocide of 1915. Republican Turkey says that the slaughter of Armenians involved the
Ottoman Empire.
September 22, 2007:
Turkish troops (infantry supported by helicopters) killed five PKK guerrillas in a battle in
southeastern Turkey. Earlier in the week
Turkish forces conducting operations in the area killed another five rebels and lost one Turkish
soldier.
September 18, 2007:
Turkey declared it cannot continue living under
the threat of (PKK) terrorism, and thus cannot rule out military action in northern Iraq against PKK bases.
This is an indirect threat to use
military force in northern Iraq.
September 15, 2007:
Turkish police arrested two members of the PKK who allegedly participated in a plot to detonate
a bomb in Ankara. The police found a car
"packed with high explosives" on September 11.
Turkish authorities believe the bomb was supposed to be detonated
on that day.
September 13, 2007:
A land mine laid by PKK rebels in a railroad bed derailed a freight train in eastern Turkey.
September 12, 2007:
The Turkish military said its security forces
killed four PKK fighters in southeastern Turkey.