Claims of Fourth Operation in Northern Iraq

It has been reported that the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) carried out a fourth operation in the Gabar and Cudi mountains, near the town of Amediye.

The news websites of Hürriyet, CNNTurk and Ntvmsnbc, among others, covered the reports of the Reuters News Agency, which based its news on Kurdish sources. According to Reuters, the TAF carried out a fourth operation in Northern Iraq around lunchtime yesterday.

Reuters quotes Peshmerga official Hüseyin Bervari as confirming that an attack took place, saying: "There are no civilian settlements in the area."

Helicopters used 

The pro-Kurdish Firat News Agency also reported that an air operation took place, carried out by the Sirnak 23rd Border Gendarmerie Battalion Command. It was said that Skorsky and Kobra helicopters were used, and that soldiers were being supplied with arsenal by the same helicopters.

The Firat news item said, "According to information from local sources, four fighter planes bombed the area at 11.45 am local time. In order to join the attack, four more fighter planes took off from the airbase in Diyarbakir. Since yesterday, there have been patrol flights, particularly in the area of Gare."

The Firat News Agency quoted a peshmerga, who whished to stay anonymous, as saying that the villages of Regan, Seze and Samcuhu were bombed." (NZ/AG)