1,000 Rebels Reported Killed in Turkish Raid
Turkish soldiers have captured a major Kurdish rebel base in northern Iraq and killed at least 1,000 guerrillas there, Turkish state television reported Saturday.
It said troops backed by tanks and planes Saturday morning captured Haftanin camp, used by the outlawed Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) for cross-border raids into Turkey.
The television said between 2,000 and 2,500 guerrillas were in the camp at the time. It said other rebels are believed to have escaped.
There was no immediate confirmation of the death toll.
Turkey sent more than 20,000 troops into northern Iraq two weeks ago to flush out more than 8,000 PKK guerrillas believed to be hiding in the region.
On Thursday, Turkish officials said troops had killed at least 400 rebels in the campaign to drive them out of their Iraqi bases.
Turkish military sources say 13 of their soldiers have been killed and 60 wounded in the campaign so far.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
