Turkish Warplanes Bomb Rebel Bases In Iraq, Ankara Seeks Iranian Support

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (left) Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara.

Turkish jets continued bombing Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq overnight on October 20-21, as Ankara sought backing from Iran in its campaign against the insurgents.

The Turkish army said in a statement on October 21 that the air and ground strikes against the rebels are "mainly" in Turkey's Cukurca region, with a "few" in Iraq.

Since October 19, some 10,000 Turkish soldiers have been chasing rebels after they killed 24 Turkish troops in the deadliest attacks against the Turkish military since the mid-1990s.

Turkey meanwhile has sought Iran's support on fighting Kurdish rebels.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said after talks in Ankara that Kurdish rebels are a common problem for the two countries and pledged stronger coordination in their actions against insurgents.

Turkey and Iran have in the past staged coordinated attacks against Kurdish rebels in the border region with Iraq.

compiled from agency reports