Kurd presidency warns Turks over civilian attacks

By Shamal Aqrawi

ZAKHU, Iraq (Reuters) - Turkey's incursion into northern Iraq will be met with strong opposition if civilians or populated areas are attacked, the leadership of the largely autonomous northern Kurdistan region said on Saturday.

"Any attack on any citizen in Kurdistan or populated areas will be answered with massive resistance ... and all preparations have been made in this matter," a statement from the presidency of the Kurdish Regional Government said.

Iraq's government, which has pushed for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, told Turkey that its military operation against the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) would not stop rebel attacks on its soil.

Turkey has said it is carrying out a limited operation against the PKK, and U.S. officials say Ankara has given assurances it will do all it can to avoid civilian casualties.

The operation is taking place in a remote mountainous area that is sparsely populated and far from any major urban area. The Iraqi Red Crescent said on Friday that only 11 families, less than 100 people, had been displaced by the incursion.

A PKK spokesman said on Saturday rebels had killed 22 Turkish soldiers with five PKK fighters wounded. Turkey's General Staff on Friday said it had lost five soldiers and killed at least 55 rebels.

There were no confirmed reports of the Kurdish region's battle-hardened peshmerga security forces moving into the area of the Turkish operation. Kurdish officials regard the mountainous border region as outside their control.

Turkish troops backed by warplanes have crossed into northern Iraq in pursuit of the PKK rebels who use the region as a launchpad for attacks on southern Turkey.