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Kurd Rebels Attack Turks, Ending Truce
Kurdish guerrillas attacked Turkish troops in the southeast Wednesday, a day after the rebels announced an end to a five-year unilateral truce, the news agency Anatolia reported. The rebels opened fire on Turkish troops in the southeastern province of Tunceli, wounding a noncommissioned officer near the town of Ovacik, Anatolia said. Although there has been sporadic fighting since the rebels announced a cease-fire in 1999, the attack in Ovacik were the first clashes between the rebels and soldiers since the end of the truce. Hundreds of Turkish commandos reinforced the troops from the air with attack helicopters, launched an operation to hunt down an estimated 150 Kurdish rebels hiding in rugged area, a local military official said on condition of anonymity. The official said the offensive came to a halt at nightfall but he indicated that the operation might continue later. Kurdish rebels fought a 15-year war for autonomy before declaring a cease-fire shortly after the capture of their leader, Abdullah Ocalan, by Turkish forces in 1999. Some 37,000 people died in the war. The rebel group said Tuesday it was ending the truce and warned foreigners and investors to avoid Turkey, saying the government has failed to respond to their truce.Posted by: Fred 2004-06-02 |
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