Turkey wraps up Iraq offensive, says objectives achieved
21h27 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish forces pulled out from northern Iraq Friday, ending a week-long offensive against Kurdish rebels that the United States feared could fuel a broader conflict in the region.

Turkish PM urges rebels to lay down arms
20h06 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday urged Kurdish rebels to lay down their arms and said Ankara was "mature enough" to embrace "all kinds of political differences."

Turkish PM urges Iraq to cooperate against Kurdish rebels
19h53 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that Turkey and Iraq should not allow Kurdish separatists to "poison" bilateral ties and urged Baghdad to help purge the rebels from northern Iraq.

Turkish PM urges rebels to lay down arms, stresses democracy
19h27 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday urged separatist Kurdish rebels to lay down their arms and said the Turkish democracy was "mature enough" to resolve the Kurdish conflict.

Iraq approves execution of 'Chemical Ali'
15h25 - BAGHDAD, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Iraq's presidency has endorsed the execution for genocide of Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam Hussein's enforcer known to the world as "Chemical Ali," for ordering gas attacks on Kurds in the 1980s, Iraqi and US officials said on Friday.

US: PKK must still be 'dealt with'
15h13 - WASHINGTON, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - The White House on Friday called Turkey's just-completed ground incursion in northern Iraq "targeted and relatively short" and vowed sustained US support against Kurdish rebels based there.

Turkish army says offensive in Iraq over
13h42 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq has "achieved its objective" and the troops have been withdrawn from the region, the military said Friday.

Iraq says Turkish forces have ended incursion
12h14 - ARBIL, Iraq, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish forces have ended their week-old offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and begun pulling out of the region, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Friday.

Turkish incursion 'too long': Iraq FM
09h50 - BAGHDAD, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Friday said the Turkish incursion in northern Iraq has been going on for "too long" and must end soon.

Turkey ends offensive in northern Iraq: report
09h38 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey has ended its cross-border offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and already begun withdrawing troops, the Turkish NTV news channel reported Friday.

Turkish offensive in Iraq over: report
09h12 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey's week-old ground offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq ended at midnight, the NTV news channel reported Friday.

Turkish incursion in Iraq over: report
09h03 - ANKARA, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey's week-old ground incursion in northern Iraq ended at midnight, the NTV news channel reported Friday.

Turkey declines to pledge quick Iraq exit, US mounts pressure
17h00 - ANKARA, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey insisted Thursday that its offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq will continue "as long as necessary," while US President George Bush mounted pressure on Ankara to wrap up its incursion quickly.

Syrian rights activist detained in Kurdish northeast
16h33 - DAMASCUS, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - Syrian police have detained a human rights activist in the mainly Kurdish northeastern city of Hasakah, rights watchdogs said on Thursday.

Turkey should leave northern Iraq 'as quickly as possible': Bush
15h48 - WASHINGTON, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said Turkey's incursion into Kurdish northern Iraq should be limited and temporary, and urged the Turks to wrap up the operation "as quickly as possible."

Turkey tells US its troops will stay in Iraq 'as long as necessary'
15h34 - ANKARA, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey said Thursday its offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq will continue "as long as necessary," rejecting US pressure for a speedy end to the week-old military incursion.

Gates believes his message to Turkey got through
13h53 - ABOARD A US AIR FORCE JET, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that Turkish officials had got the message to wrap up their incursion in northern Iraq quickly, even though they refused to give a pullout timetable.

Turkish army chief refuses to pledge quick exit from Iraq: report
10h07 - ANKARA, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish army chief Yasar Buyukanit on Thursday refused to pledge a quick pullout from northern Iraq after talks here with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, the NTV news channel reported.

Turkish forces will stay in Iraq 'as long as necessary'
08h06 - ANKARA, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish army will remain in northern Iraq "as long as necessary," Turkish Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul said Thursday, refusing to give a timetable for a troop withdrawal.

Gates set to press Turkey for quick end to Kurdish offensive
01h25 - ANKARA, Feb 28, 2008 (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates was expected to press Turkish leaders on Thursday to quickly wrap up their offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, but Ankara was resisting setting a deadline.

Turkey steps up Iraq onslaught as US urges quick pull-out
20h32 - ANKARA, Feb 27, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey stepped up its offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq on Wednesday and refused to set a pull-out timetable, despite a US warning that the incursion should last no more than "a week or two."

Gates to tell Turks to quickly end incursion in northern Iraq
18h41 - ANKARA, Feb 27, 2008 (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived here Wednesday to press Turkish leaders to quickly end a six-day-old military incursion in northern Iraq even as Turkish leaders refused to set a timetable.

Turkey steps up Iraq onslaught as US calls for quick pull-out
15h27 - ANKARA, Feb 27, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey stepped up its offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq on Wednesday and refused to set a pull-out timetable, despite a US warning that the incursion should last no more than "a week or two."

Turkish army says two soldiers killed in Iraq incursion
15h40 - ANKARA, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Two Turkish soldiers were killed Tuesday in clashes with Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, the military said, as heavy snowfall hampered the fifth day of its major cross-border offensive.

Turkish PM defends Iraq incursion
13h21 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended Tuesday the military offensive against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq as a "rightful struggle", defying Iraqi and US calls for a swift pull-out.

Iraq government condemns Turkish incursion
12h59 - BAGHDAD, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Iraq's government on Tuesday condemned the Turkish military incursion into the north of the country, saying it was a violation of the its sovereignty.

Turkish PM defends military incursion in Iraq
11h25 - ANKARA, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended Tuesday Turkey's military offensive against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iran, amid US and Iraqi for troops to be withdrawn as soon as possible.

Turkish troops target main Kurd rebel camp in Iraq
09h52 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish troops, backed by fighter jets, closed in on a main rebel base Tuesday in their offensive against Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq that has so far claimed at least 170 lives.

Fierce fighting as Turkish troops move on rebel camp in Iraq
08h57 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish troops were engaged in fierce clashes with Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq as they closed in on one of the main separatist camps, security sources here said Tuesday.

Turkish incursion into Iraq could trigger regional turmoil
01h50 - BAGHDAD, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey's incursion into northern Iraq -- its second in three months -- threatens to trigger regional turmoil and destabilise the only peaceful area in the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Turkey says 41 more rebels killed in Iraq offensive
20h31 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish army said it killed 41 Kurdish rebels Monday, taking the overall toll in its offensive in northern Iraq to 170, as the US renewed calls for restraint and a swift withdrawal.

US hopes Turkey raids in Iraq will be short
18h07 - WASHINGTON, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - The White House hopes Turkey's latest armed raids against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq will be short and will not harm civilians, a spokeswoman said on Monday, the fifth day of fighting there.

Turkish Kurds protest against Iraq incursion
18h00 - DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - Thousands demonstrated in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast on Monday against a major cross-border ground offensive in northern Iraq to hunt separatist rebels.

Turkey says dozens more Kurd rebels killed in Iraq incursion
17h05 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish army said it had killed 41 more Kurdish rebels Monday in its cross-border offensive in northern Iraq as the United States renewed calls for restraint and a swift withdrawal.

Turkish army says 41 rebels, two soldiers killed Monday
16h12 - ANKARA, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish army said 41 Kurdish rebels and two Turkish soldiers were killed in fighting Monday, making the overall toll from its operations in northern Iraq since Thursday 153 rebels and 17 troops dead.

US hopes Turkey incursion in Iraq will be short
15h58 - WASHINGTON, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - The White House hopes Turkey's incursion into northern Iraq to target Kurdish separatists will be short-lived and will not harm civilians, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Turkish warplanes pound Kurdish rebels in Iraq
12h51 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish fighter jets pounded Kurdish rebel positions Monday in northern Iraq, as troops pressed on with a cross-border offensive despite Iraqi and US calls for a quick withdrawal.

Turkish president postpones Africa trip: spokesman
11h52 - ANKARA, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish President Abdullah Gul has postponed a planned four-day trip to Africa this week due a Turkish cross-border incursion against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, a spokesman said Monday.

Turkish jets pound Kurdish rebels in Iraq: security sources
10h50 - AMADIYAH, Iraq, Feb 25, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish fighter jets pounded Kurdish rebel positions for the fifth day running Monday in the mountainous Hakurk region of northern Iraq, security sources here told AFP.

Iraq pushes Turkey to withdraw troops
20h56 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The Iraqi government pushed Ankara on Sunday to withdraw its troops from northern Iraq, after the Turkish army warned Iraqi Kurds not to shelter Kurdish rebels fleeing its offensive in the region.

A lorry-load of pain on Turkey-Iraq border route
18h04 - HABUR, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - It can take up to three days for lorries to crawl through the queue which snakes back from Turkey's only functioning border post with Iraq at Habur.

Iraq calls on Turkey for quick withdrawal of troops
16h40 - BAGHDAD, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Iraq on Sunday urged Turkey to withdraw its troops from the country's northern Kurdish region "as soon as possible," saying that Ankara's military operation was a "threat" to Iraq's sovereignty.

Turkey warns Iraqi Kurds, Baghdad urges swift withdrawal
16h36 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish army Sunday warned Iraqi Kurds not to shelter Kurdish rebels fleeing its military offensive in northern Iraq, as Baghdad labelled the incursion a "threat" to its sovereignty.

Kurdish militants urge urban violence in Turkey, Europe: report
16h34 - ANKARA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Militant Kurdish groups Sunday called on Kurds in Turkey and Europe to unleash urban violence following a Turkish offensive on rebel camps in northern Iraq, a news agency close to the militants reported.

Turkish army urges Iraqi Kurds not to shelter fleeing rebels
14h38 - ANKARA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish military urged Iraqi Kurds Sunday to deny protection and shelter to Kurdish rebels fleeing a major Turkish offensive in northern Iraq.

Turkish army says helicopter 'destroyed' in Iraq
14h26 - ANKARA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish army said Sunday that one of its helicopters had been "destroyed" during the ngoing cross-border offensive against Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq.

Turkish army says 33 rebels, eight soldiers killed in Iraq
14h21 - ANKARA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Eight Turkish soldiers and 33 Kurdish rebels were killed in fighting Sunday in northern Iraq, the Turkish military said.

Turkish army, PKK clashes intensify in Iraq: security sources
14h10 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Fighting intensified Sunday between Turkish troops and Kurdish rebels holed up in the Hakurk region of the rugged mountains of Iraq along the Turkish border, local security sources told AFP.

Turkey presses offensive in Iraq, US urges short campaign
12h30 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Fighting intensified Sunday between Turkish troops and Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, amid US calls for Turkey to wrap up its military incursion in the region as swiftly as possible.

Some Iraqi Kurds blame US for Turkish raids
12h27 - SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi Kurds on Sunday blamed Baghdad's ally Washington for backing Turkish assaults against Kurdish guerrillas holed up in the mountainous border region of northern Iraq.

Turkey's Kurds fed up with fighting, seek 'normal' life
11h51 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - As fighting rages across the nearby Turkish-Iraqi border between a Turkish expeditionary force and rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Kurds in this Turkish town at the heart of the conflict say they are fed up with the violence and long to lead "normal" lives.

Rebel PKK says it downed Turkish helicopter
11h23 - SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Kurdish rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) said on Sunday they had shot down a Turkish helicopter in a border region of northern Iraq.

Turkish army, PKK clashes intensify in Iraq: security sources
11h14 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Fighting intensified Sunday between Turkish troops and Kurdish rebels holed up in the Hakurk region in the rugged mountains of Iraq along the Turkish border, local security sources told AFP.

Turkish raids not attacking Iraq's sovereignty: spokesman
10h48 - BAGHDAD, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The Turkish military raids against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq are not an attack on the country's sovereignty, the Iraqi government spokesman told AFP on Sunday.

US cautions Turkey on Iraq incursion, rebels urge urban violence
10h10 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The United States cautioned Turkey Sunday that military measures alone cannot resolve the Kurdish problem as separatist rebels urged urban violence in response to a major Turkish offensive against their camps in northern Iraq.

Kurdish rebels urge urban violence after Turkish raids: report
09h20 - ANKARA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - The separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Sunday called on Kurds across Turkey to engage in urban violence in response to the Turkish military offensive against rebel camps in northern Iraq, a news agency close to the group reported.

PKK condemns US, Iraqi Kurds for helping Turkey: report
09h14 - ANKARA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Separatist Kurdish rebels condemned the United States and Iraqi Kurds on Sunday for helping Turkey in a major offensive against their bases in northern Iraq, a news agency close to the rebels said.

Australia urges Turkey to pull troops from Iraq
05h40 - CANBERRA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Sunday called on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Iraq "as soon as possible."

Gates urges Turkey to do more to reconcile with Kurds
03h11 - CANBERRA, Feb 24, 2008 (AFP) - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday he hopes Turkey keeps its ground campaign against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq short and urged it to do more to reconcile with its Kurdish minority.

Turkish raids kill dozens in Iraq; Zebari warns of destabilisation
20h50 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 23, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish troops killed 35 Kurdish militants and destroyed rebel hideouts in northern Iraq on Saturday, as Iraq's foreign minister warned the three-day-old offensive risked destablising the region.

Iraqi minister warns Turkish raid could destabilise region: report
17h36 - LONDON, Feb 23, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari warned Saturday that Turkey's ground offensive in northern Iraq should end quickly before it destabilises the region, in an interview with the BBC.

Turkish army says 35 rebels, two soldiers killed in clashes
16h28 - ANKARA, Feb 23, 2008 (AFP) - At least 35 Kurdish rebels and two soldiers were killed in fresh clashes in northern Iraq Saturday, the Turkish military said.

Dozens killed as Turkey prolongs Iraq incursion
15h40 - CIZRE, Turkey, Feb 23, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish troops cracked down on Kurdish rebels in neighbouring Iraq on the third day of a major ground offensive Saturday as Ankara said dozens of rebels and at least five soldiers had been killed.

Police, protesters clash for second day in southeastern Turkey
23h02 - DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 16, 2008 (AFP) - Police and protesters clashed in southeastern Turkey on Saturday, a day after demonstrations on the ninth anniversary of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan's capture led to the death of a 15-year-old, media reports said.

One dead in protests in Turkey on anniversary of Kurdish rebel's arrest
16h09 - DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 15, 2008 (AFP) - One person was killed and scores detained in southeast Turkey Friday as police broke up demonstrations by Kurds marking the ninth anniversary of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan's capture, officials and witnesses said.

Violent protests in Turkey on anniversary of Kurdish rebel's arrest
15h22 - DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 15, 2008 (AFP) - Scores of Kurdish protestors were detained in southeast Turkey Friday as police broke up demonstrations marking the ninth anniversary of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan's capture, officials and witnesses said.

US attorney general discusses Kurd rebels, Al-Qaeda in Turkey
12h52 - ANKARA, Feb 15, 2008 (AFP) - US Attorney General Michael Mukasey held talks with Turkish officials here Friday on joint measures to combat Kurdish rebels and the Al-Qaeda extremist network.

Kurdish mayor jailed in Turkey for praising rebel leader
12h17 - DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Feb 14, 2008 (AFP) - A Kurdish mayor in southeastern Turkey was sentenced to 10 months in prison Thursday for praising jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Iran arrests Kurdish militants
10h58 - TEHRAN, Feb 14, 2008 (AFP) - Iranian security forces have arrested four militants linked to an outlawed Kurdish rebel group in the western city of Sanandaj, the official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.

South Korea, Iraqi Kurdistan sign MOU on oil exploration
08h03 - SEOUL, Feb 14, 2008 (AFP) - A South Korean consortium Thursday signed an initial agreement to explore oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan in return for major construction projects in the region, officials said.

US general in Turkey for talks on Kurdish rebels: official
09h05 - ANKARA, Feb 13, 2008 (AFP) - A senior US general arrived here Wednesday for talks with Turkish military officials on joint efforts to curb separatist Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq, a US embassy official said.

Red Cross urges new home for stranded Iran Kurds
12h43 - AMMAN, Feb 10, 2008 (AFP) - The Red Cross on Sunday urged a solution for 190 Iranian Kurds stranded in a no man's land along the Jordanian border ever since they fled war-torn Iraq three years ago.

Turkish air raid hits Kurdish rebel bases in Iraq: army
12h34 - ANKARA, Feb 7, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish fighter planes have successfully hit about 70 Kurdish rebel positions targeted in an air strike in northern Iraq earlier this week, the Turkish army said Thursday.

Two policemen wounded in bomb blast in Turkey: report
07h24 - ANKARA, Feb 6, 2008 (AFP) - Two police officers were wounded in a bomb explosion in a restive province in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast, the Anatolia news agency reported Wednesday.

Turkey confirms jets bombed Kurdish rebels in Iraq
14h05 - ANKARA, Feb 4, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey's military confirmed Monday that its warplanes had carried out heavy raids for several hours on suspected Kurdish rebel hideouts in northern Iraq.

Turkish jets bomb rebel territory in northern Iraq
12h34 - SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq, Feb 4, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish warplanes on Monday bombarded three Kurdish settlements in a mountainous area of northern Iraq known as a refuge for rebel Kurds, rebel and Iraqi military officials said.

Syria court jails four Kurds for separatism: watchdog
12h22 - DAMASCUS, Feb 4, 2008 (AFP) - A Syrian court has sentenced four Kurds to prison terms of up to 10 years on charges of seeking to annex parts of the country to a separate state, a human rights group said on Monday.

Ten Kurdish rebels killed in Turkey clash: report
19h27 - ANKARA, Feb 3, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish troops killed 10 separatist Kurdish rebels on Sunday in the eastern province of Bingol, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Turkish soldiers held by Kurd rebels await court-martial sentence
18h15 - ANKARA, Feb 2, 2008 (AFP) - Eight Turkish soldiers being court-martialled for insubordination after being held hostage by Kurdish rebels for two weeks were freed Saturday pending a verdict, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Trial for Turkish soldiers captured by Kurd rebels: report
12h07 - ANKARA, Feb 1, 2008 (AFP) - Eight Turkish soldiers captured and held hostage by Kurdish rebels for two weeks appeared before a military court Friday on charges of insubordination, the Anatolia news agency reported.