Tunceli - Thousands of Turkish troops, backed by armoured vehicles and heavy artillery, have been building up close to the border with northern Iraq, between the Turkish towns of Cukurca and Semdinli, security officials said yesterday. It was not clear whether the troops were preparing for an operation inside Turkey or to strike inside Iraq.
Turkish armed forces have often launched offensives into the Kurdish-held region in pursuit of Kurdistan Workers Party rebels who they say use the remote region to raid south-east Turkey. Northern Iraq has been outside Baghdad's control since the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War.