Thousands of Turkish troops cross into Iraq

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP)


The ground operation started after Turkish warplanes and artillery bombed suspected rebel targets on Thursday, the military said on its website. The ground incursion was backed by the Air Force, the statement said.

Turkey has conducted air raids against the PKK guerrillas in northern Iraq since December, with the help of U.S. intelligence, and it has periodically carried out so-called “hot pursuits” in which small units sometimes spend only a few hours inside Iraq.

AP