Habur: Turkish helicopters ferried more troops to the border with Iraq on Friday as diplomatic efforts got underway in Ankara to avert a major offensive against Kurdish rebels in Iraq.
The military move came as an Iraqi delegation began talks with Turkish civilian and military officials in Ankara on Friday.
The state-run Anatolian news agency said Cobra helicopters and fighter jets had also pounded shelters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) along the border.
Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops along the mountainous border before a possible cross-border operation against at least 3,000 PKK guerrillas.
Iraqi, Turkish and U.S. diplomats have stepped up efforts to avert a large-scale Turkish incursion but Turkish leaders have said their country will not tolerate any more attacks from Iraq.
"We are moving more troops from other provinces to Sirnak province," said a military source, who declined to be named.
Anatolian news agency said that helicopters, also carrying military equipment, took off from Yusekova town in Hakkari province and headed for Daglica region near the Iraq border.
Meanwhile, Iraq's defense minister and national security minister are meeting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and other top officials to discuss security measures.
Turkey sends more troops to Iraqi border
Habur: Turkish helicopters ferried more troops to the border with Iraq on Friday as diplomatic efforts got underway in Ankara to avert a major offensive against Kurdish rebels in IOraq.
The military move came as an Iraqi delegation began talks with Turkish civilian and military officials in Ankara on Friday.
The state-run Anatolian news agency said Cobra helicopters and fighter jets had also pounded shelters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) along the border.
Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops along the mountainous border before a possible cross-border operation against at least 3,000 PKK guerrillas.
Iraqi, Turkish and U.S. diplomats have stepped up efforts to avert a large-scale Turkish incursion but Turkish leaders have said their country will not tolerate any more attacks from Iraq.
"We are moving more troops from other provinces to Sirnak province," said a military source, who declined to be named.
Anatolian news agency said that helicopters, also carrying military equipment, took off from Yusekova town in Hakkari province and headed for Daglica region near the Iraq border.
Meanwhile, Iraq's defense minister and national security minister are meeting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and other top officials to discuss security measures.
"We hope the delegation will get answers from the Turkish side to settle this. I am very optimistic about the results," Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hajj Hamoud said ahead of the talks.
