Turkey says 35 PKK militants killed in cross-border operation_English

ANKARA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Some 35 militants of Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and two Turkish soldiers were killed during aground offensive into northern Iraq on Saturday, Turkish military said.

The Turkish General Staff said in a statement posted on its website that the latest deaths bring the killed rebels and soldiers to 79 and seven since Turkey launched a ground incursion into Iraq late Thursday.

Some 35 militants of Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and two Turkish soldiers were killed during aground offensive into northern Iraq on Saturday, Turkish military said.

Turkish soldiers with white cloth as covering walk at night in the cross-border operation in Iraq on Feb. 22, 2008. Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) launched a cross-border ground operation in fight against the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in the north of Iraq on Feb. 21. According to a statement of the Turkish general staff, TSK have killed 24 PKK members during the operation. (Xinhua/Anadoglu Agency Photo)
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On Friday, the General Staff announced that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) launched a cross-border ground operation into the north of Iraq as of 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Thursday following an artillery bombardment.

The ground operation is backed by Turkish Air Forces jets, the General Staff said, adding that TSK would return to Turkey after it achieves the planned targets.

The Turkish military has launched several cross-border attacks to fight separatist PKK rebels, who use northern Iraq as a launch pad for attacks against Turkey.

The PKK, listed by the United States and Turkey as a terrorist group, took up arms against Turkey in 1984 with the aim of creating an ethnic homeland in the southeast of the country. More than 30,000 people have been killed in the two-decade conflict.

Some 35 militants of Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and two Turkish soldiers were killed during aground offensive into northern Iraq on Saturday, Turkish military said.

Turkish armed helicopters take part in the cross-border operation in Iraq on Feb. 22, 2008. (Xinhua/Anadoglu Agency Photo)
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