DATE=  10/5/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-220850

TITLE=TURKEY / IRAQ (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=KYLE KING

DATELINE=DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  TURKEY'S CROSS-BORDER MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH 

REBELS IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAS ENTERED ITS THIRD WEEK WITH WHAT 

APPEARS TO BE RENEWED AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE REBELS.  V-O-A'S 

KYLE KING REPORTS FROM THE SOUTHERN TURKISH TOWN OF DIYARBAKIR. 



TEXT:  WITNESSES SAY AT LEAST SIX TURKISH F-16 FIGHTER-BOMBERS 

TOOK OFF FROM A BASE OUTSIDE DIYARBAKIR (SUNDAY) ON WHAT IS 

BELIEVED TO BE ANOTHER AIR RAID AIMED AT REBELS OF THE KURDISTAN 

WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K. 



TURKEY LAUNCHED ITS LATEST MILITARY INCURSION INTO NORTHERN IRAQ 

TWO WEEKS AGO.  ABOUT 15-THOUSAND TURKISH TROOPS BACKED BY 

ARTILLERY AND AIR POWER ARE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION. 



THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL WORD ON THE TARGETS OF THE LATEST AIR 

STRIKE -- AND GETTING INFORMATION FROM THE AREA HAS BEEN MADE 

DIFFICULT BY TURKEY'S CLOSURE OF ITS BORDER WITH NORTHERN IRAQ. 



IRAQ AND MOST ARAB STATES HAVE CONDEMNED THE LATEST TURKISH 

OFFENSIVE.  TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THE CROSS-BORDER RAIDS ARE 

NECESSARY TO PREVENT REBEL ATTACKS ON TURKISH CIVILIANS. 



TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THEIR TROOPS HAVE KILLED MORE THAN

400 KURDISH REBELS, AND THE OPERATION HAS DEALT ANOTHER CRIPPLING

BLOW TO THE P-K-K. 



THE SEMI-OFFICIAL ANATOLIAN NEWS AGENCY SAYS THE AIRSTRIKES HAVE 

FORCED SOME REBEL UNITS TO FLEE TO AREAS NEAR THE IRANIAN BORDER 

OR TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY OTHER REBEL GROUPS FIGHTING FOR AN 

INDEPENDENT HOMELAND. 



A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE P-K-K ON SATURDAY SAID AT LEAST 38 

TURKISH TROOPS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE INCURSION BEGAN. 



MORE THAN 26-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE THE FIGHTING BEGAN 

MORE THAN A DECADE AGO.  (SIGNED) 



NEB/KBK/DW/RRM



05-Oct-97 11:31 AM EDT (1531 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.