254 Deaths Since Ground Operations Started

In the last six days, so the General Staff, 24 soldiers and 230 PKK militants have been killed. Iraqis are fleeing their villages. Turkish human rights activists are starting a peace vigil.

Tolga Korkut

Accoding to a statement by the General Staff on 27 February, five more soldiers were killed in the previous night, bringing the death toll of soldiers to 24.

Claims of many deaths and destruction of PKK sites

The General Staff claims that the Turkish Armed Forces have killed 230 PKK militants in their operations and believes that high-level PKK leaders are in the battle area.

The same statement announced that so far 47 caves, 187 shelters, 29 light arms positions, 38 anti-aircraft positions and 11 communication sites have been partially or completely destroyed by units. War planes are said to have bombed 13 anti-aircraft positions, 69 caves, 87 shelters, 5 education sites, 21 logistics sites, 12 command centres, and 18 communication sites.

The pro-Kurdish Firat News Agency says that Turkish soldiers have gone two kilometres into Iraq from the border.

Barzani: "We will not take sides"

According to the Sulaimania-based Pukmedia, Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government President Mesud Barzani said, “We will not take sides in the Turkey-PKK war.”

Special Turkish delegation in Iraq

Turkey sent a special delegation to Iraq yesterday (27 February) to meet Iraq’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hosyar Zebari. One member of the delegation, the Prime Ministerial Head Consultant Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu, said in a press briefing: “We have no date for the end of operations,” adding that they would continue until PKK bases had been destroyed.

“From our point of view, there has been no violation of Iraqi sovereignty”; he said that the aim was to end PKK activities.

The delegation will also meet Deputy Prime Minister Berham Salih and the US ambassador to Bagdat, Ryan Crocker.

Villagers have fled villages

Meanwhile, Pukmedia has reported that several villages in Northern Iraq have had to be evacuated because of Turkish bombardment. In the Soran district of the Erbil governorate in Northern Iraq, villagers have emptied the Letan, Kolet, Bavye and Baskan villages, among others.

The villagers are said to be sheltering in the mountains and in caves. The news agency also said that the bombings were affecting the Darewe, Berkme, Gali Kvakurk and Galires villages.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had announced in December 2007 thet Turkish bombings had displaced 1,800 people in the area.

However, the Turkish government and military keep emphasising that civilians are not being targeted.

IHD peace vigil

The Human Rights Association (IHD) has announced the start of a “peace vigil” at his headquarters in Ankara on Wednesday evening (27 February). Under the slogan “Give Peace a Chance,” the doors of the headquarters will be open to fellow protesters all night. (TK/AG)