Posted on 02/21/2008 10:43:50 PM PST by Wiz
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Kurdish troops on Thursday encircled Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq and threatened to open fire in the most serious standoff between the two nation's forces since Turkey threatened late last year to go after guerrillas from the Kurdistan Workers Party sheltering in Iraq .
ADVERTISEMENT
The standoff began when Turkish troops in tanks and armored vehicles left one of five bases they've had in Iraq since 1997 and moved to control two main roads in Dohuk province, Iraqi officials said.
Kurdish soldiers from the peshmerga militia, which is loyal to the Kurdish Regional Government, moved to stop them. For an hour and a half, the two sides faced off before the Turkish soldiers retreated to their base, which is about 27 miles northeast of the city of Dohuk. The peshmerga surrounded the base and remained there late Thursday.
The Turkish troop movement was accompanied by artillery and airstrikes that targeted mountain areas held by rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party , which is known by its initials as the PKK. A spokesman for the peshmerga, Jabar Yawar , said the shelling began at about 11 a.m. and continued past midnight. Two bridges were knocked out over the Great Zab River, he said.
"This is a matter of the sovereignty of Iraq and the unity of Iraq ," said Falah Bakir , the head of the foreign relations department of the regional government. "We hope that there will be no clashes— the Kurdistan Regional Government has done enough to show our goodwill to Turkey ."
Bakir said the regional government has tightened security at checkpoints, airports and hospitals to stop PKK movements, but that the Turkish military has continued its buildup.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Which is exactly what they did when the PKK was attacking Turkish forces inside Turkey for years.
Is it just me or is it the world is getting more confrontational faster these days?
Is it just me or is it the world is getting more confrontational faster these days?The balance of power in the ME is changing. Previously weak groups, Shi'ites and Kurds are getting much more assertive. It's quite similar to the post Tito Balkans IMO.
You’re correct. It is due to the destruction of central authority in Iraq (Saddam), just as the chaos in the Balkans followed the loss of Tito’s authority in Yugoslavia.
Turkey has been moving closer toward being an Islamist state. They deserve little sympathy considering they have been pursuing a policy of terrorism and genocide for centuries.
Especially this part of the world.
I'm looking forward to being stateside this spring. It's getting too dicey 'round here.
Take care of yourself out there, Allegra. When you get back to the states maybe the local Freepers could welcome you back with a welcome home party, depending on where you’ll be?
I'm from Houston and the local FReepers are friends of mine. We've FReeped a lot of Commies in the past. (A.N.S.W.E.R. rallies, Indymedia events, etc.) We always have some sort of get-together when I get home. They're good peeps.
I was in the Dallas and later the Austin areas in the middle to later 1990’s, but am in Florida and likely to stay here. if you ever are coming this way, let us know on the Florida state board, we are a pretty active group too.
Will do. I’ve got a sister in Dunedin and a brother in Clearwater, so I may get out there from time to time.
Kudos to the Kurdish Peshmerga.
Between George Bush and Global Warming, it’s difficult to know who to blame!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.