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Turkish army says 'many' rebels killed in Iraq raid

ANKARA, May 2, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish military said Friday that "many" Kurdish rebels were killed in a bombing raid in northern Iraq overnight, but gave no precise figures.

"Many terrorists, whose presence at the targeted sites had been confirmed by intelligence have been rendered ineffective" in the raid against Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels, the general staff said in a statement on its Internet site.

A total of 43 targets, including hideouts and a communication centre, were destroyed in the raids targeting the Qandil area -- a major PKK stronghold -- which began late Thursday and continued into Friday.

"The raid...has delivered a major blow to the PKK terrorist organization," the statement said.

Turkish warplanes have targeted PKK positions in northern Iraq since mid-December and in February, the army conducted a week-long ground offensive against PKK hideouts across the border.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, has been fighting for self-rule in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast since 1984. The conflict has claimed more than 37,000 lives.