Turkish Jets Strike Kurd Rebel Bases in North Iraq

Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel hideouts in northern Iraq in retaliation for a deadly attack in Turkey's southeast, the military said Wednesday.

The strikes come after rebels on Tuesday attacked Turkish military units in the town of Yuksekova in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border. The fighting between Turkish soldiers and rebels claimed 34 lives.

"The targets belonging to the separatist terrorist organization across the border in the north of Iraq were effectively hit by Turkish Air Force aircraft," the general staff said in a statement posted on its website.

The jets safely returned to their bases in Turkey after fulfilling their mission successfully, it added.

Twenty-six rebels who were shot dead by the military belonged to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and crossed into Turkey from their bases in northern Iraq to attack Turkish military posts.

This mountainous region of Turkey is often the scene of clashes between security forces and Kurdish rebels, who escalate their attacks in the summer months.

Turkish warplanes generally bomb PKK hideouts in retaliation for attacks on troops.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community, took up arms in the Kurdish-majority southeast Turkey in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives.