13 Oct 2008

Turkish air raid targets rebels in Iraq

8:29 am on 13 October 2008

Turkish warplanes have bombed a Kurdish rebel hideout in neighbouring Iraq.

It was the seventh Turkish air strike in northern Iraq since 3 October when a Turkish border outpost was attacked, with 17 soldiers killed.

An army statement issued on Sunday said the targets included senior guerrillas and the operation was successful.

The Turkish parliament on Wednesday extended by one year the government's mandate to order cross-border military operations in northern Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers Party.

On Saturday, officials said an attack was foiled after a woman carrying explosives was arrested in downtown Istanbul, with 8.8 kg of explosives and detonators.