13 Soldiers & 5 Rebels dead in Kurdistan attack

13 Turkish troops and 5 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were killed in a clash in Silvan last week, it has emerged.

The attack took place in a heavily forested mountainous area of northern Turkey. According to reports on Turkish television, some of the soldiers and rebels were killed when a Turkish warplane bombed the forest following the initial surprise attack hitting fighters on both sides. At least seven other Turkish troops were wounded.

Turkish ground troops and war planes are currently combing the mountains for the rebel unit although it is believed that they have already crossed back into the safety of Iraqi Kurdistan, where they operate an autonomous government and have their own police force. Members of the Turkish opposition have called for a retaliatory raid into northern Iraq in response to the killings although the government has so far avoided such a move saying it will press on with it's democratic programme.