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    October 05, 2011

Turkey Vote OKs Strikes on Kurds in Iraq

   VOA News

   Turkey's parliament voted Wednesday to extend the government's mandate
   to order military strikes against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.
   Lawmakers passed the measure by a wide margin. The current mandate was
   due to expire on October 17.
   Rebels from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have increased attacks in
   Turkish territory recently, sometimes targeting civilians.
   Last month, Kurdish rebels killed five people during multiple attacks
   on police facilities in southeastern Turkey. Turkish forces have
   responded by increasing their airstrikes against suspected rebel bases
   in northern Iraq.
   Turkey, the European Union and the United States regard the PKK as a
   terrorist group.
   In August, Turkey's military said it killed about 160 Kurdish rebels in
   cross-border air and artillery strikes.
   Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara's "patience is
   running out" in dealing with the rebels, who have been fighting for
   autonomy in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast since 1984. The conflict
   has killed more than 40,000 people.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.