Kurdish War: Turks and Iranians Working Together

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December2, 2006: Turkish military operations in Sirnak province (southeastern Turkey) found 270 pounds of explosives held by the PKK, as well as 52 RPG rockets and a half-dozen assault rifles.

November 24, 2006: One Turkish soldier died in a PKK ambush in Sirnak province. In the firefight after the ambush, one PKK guerrilla was killed. The Turkish unit was conducting a counter-guerrilla sweep of the area. On November 23 the Turkish military reported that it had killed two PKK guerrillas in the same area. The Turks believe that the PKK was infiltrating from bases in northern Iraq. The Turks also contend that the "ceasefire" called for by the PKK 0n October 1, 2006, is really a "tactical move" to help the PKK cadres in northern Iraq survive through the Winter.

November 23, 2006: Turkey and Iran announced that the two nations have established a bilateral "commission" to combat "Kurdish" terrorism. The commission will deal with the PKK and the Iranian PEJAK (PKK in Iran). It is unclear exactly what the commission will do. However, Turkish officials reported that there are groups in Iran that have called for "joint operations" (ie, Turkish and Iranian troops operating together) against Kurdish separatists. Approximately four million Kurds live in Iran. Six million Kurds live in Iraq. From twelve to fifteen million (depending on the source of the figures) live in Turkey.

November 19, 2006: The Turkish government is increasingly critical of the US-sponsored Iraq-Turkey-US "three-party" process which is supposed to bring the PKK in Iraq to heel. The Turks complain that Iraqi Kurds are not cooperating with the US and the Iraqi government. Iraq and the US want to appoint an Iraqi Kurd representative to the "three-party" council, but Turkey has objected.

November 17, 2006: Iraq told the Turkey that Iraq will never be a refuge for rebels threatening neighbors. Iraq promised Turkey that it would work with the Turks on issues involving the PKK. But Iraq has been long on promises, and short on delivery.

 

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