The border clashes between the Turkish army and fighters affiliated with the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) continued in the past two days in southeast Turkey, bringing the total death toll among the PKK forces to 14, the Turkish daily Zaman reported.
The army’s General Staff issued a communiqué on Wednesday, according to which its troops had seized ammunition and equipment belonging to the PKK during the recent clashes. The announcement added that four of the 14 PKK fighters, who were killed in the clashes, were women.
Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops along its border with Iraq in preparation for possible massive military strikes against the PKK in northern Iraq.
The Turkish army confirmed earlier this month it had conducted a small-scale operation inside Iraq. Military officials said the operation involved a Special Forces unit, backed by helicopters. Further such cross-border operations are likely under the terms of a parliamentary resolution passed last October, military sources added.