Turkey launches attack on Kurdish militants in Iraq - eTaiwan News

Turkey has launched attacks into northern Iraq to hunt down Kurdish militants who killed more than 20 Turkish soldiers in a Wednesday morning.

Turkish news reports say air force jets hit Kurdish targets in Iraq while helicopters flew in Turkish soldiers. The reports say the attacks killed at least 20 rebels.

The rebels, part of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that is fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey, attacked seven Turkish military outposts and police stations near the Turkish border towns of Cukurca and Yuksekova, resulting in the death of more than 20 Turkish soldiers and police.

A crisis meeting was immediately called. Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced an offensive aimed at the PKK militants.

"The Turkish republic will fight terrorists and their supporters to the end. The perpetrators of last night's attack will be pursued and they will pay." Erdogan said.

US President Barack Obama condemned the "outrageous terrorist attack," and said the United States will continue its strong cooperation with Turkey as it works to defeat the PKK.

The situation threatens instability at a time of upheaval in nearby Syria and the imminent withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

Analysts suggest the PKK attacks are aimed at triggering a civil war which would lead to widespread violence in the region.

The PKK is a Kurdish organization which has been fighting against the Turkish state for an autonomous Kurdistan. The group is listed as a terrorist organization by a number of states, including the US and the EU.