Turkey sends special forces to Iraqi border

By Ferit Demir

TUNCELI, Turkey (Reuters) - Four Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas on Tuesday and Turkey sent hundreds of anti-terrorism special forces to the troubled region bordering Iraq.

Military sources said the special forces would join up to 100,000 Turkish troops near the border. Turkey has threatened an incursion into northern Iraq to root out PKK rebels who use mountains there as a base for attacks across the border.

It was not immediately clear whether the presence of the special forces in Sirnak and Hakkari provinces in southeast Turkey was linked to an offensive launched on Tuesday against PKK rebels following clashes, which left four soldiers dead.

Troops, backed by tanks, attack helicopters and fighter jets have been on standby for weeks in case NATO-member Turkey authorizes an incursion.

Washington and Baghdad oppose a major cross-border offensive, fearing it could destabilize northern Iraq and potentially threaten the wider region.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, under intense domestic pressure to act after some 50 soldiers were killed in recent weeks, has pledged to send in troops into northern Iraq if PKK attacks from Iraq continue.

NTV Web site reported Erdogan as telling a meeting of his AK Party on Monday night "a cross-border operation is approaching". The meeting was closed to the media.

"This business needs to happen before winter conditions worsen. If we don't see concrete things from the other side an operation is near," he said.