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Turkish aircraft strike 70 Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq

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Turkish warplanes bombed 70 Kurdish guerrilla targets in northern Iraq in a 12-hour operation on Monday, the Turkish General Staff said.
ANKARA, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - Turkish warplanes bombed 70 Kurdish guerrilla targets in northern Iraq in a 12-hour operation on Monday, the Turkish General Staff said.

The Turkish military said the operation, which began at 3:00 a.m. (1:00 a.m. GMT), targeted the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). No deaths have yet been reported as a result of the air strikes.

"The operation was conducted against 11 groups of targets that had been detected by intelligence sources. Air strikes were successfully conducted against them, after which [Turkish Air Force] planes returned to their permanent deployment sites," the General Staff said.

There has been speculation that these "intelligence sources" may refer to U.S. intelligence reports.

The Turkish parliament gave the government a mandate in October to conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq against PKK militants based there. Since mid-December, Turkey has carried out five air raids in the cross-border region, killing at least 175 separatists. According to Turkish General Staff data, there are some 3,500 insurgents in northern Iraq.

The PKK, declared a terrorist organization by the UN and EU, has fought for autonomy for Kurds in Turkish territory for some 25 years. The conflict has so far claimed about 40,000 lives.

Turkish authorities have consistently refused to enter into a dialogue with the separatists.

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