Erdoğan says air, ground ops first step against terrorists
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday air and ground operations were underway as a first step against PKK terrorists, a day after terrorists attacks near the border with northern Iraq killed 24 Turkish soldiers, inflicting one of the largest losses suffered by the military in a three decade-old insurgency.
Security officials said around 1,000 Turkish commandos were scouring the mountainous terrain several kilometers inside Iraqi territory, and 21 militants had been killed during the counter attack. Cobra helicopter gunships have backed up ground forces, and warplanes have carried out air strikes.
Last Update: October 21, 2011 11:04