Ankara, Nov 1 (RIA Novosti) Turkey has said it expects urgent action from the US to destroy Kurdish insurgent bases in northern Iraq. "We expect the US to take urgent, concrete steps against terrorist bases," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is set to meet US President George W. Bush Nov 5 to discuss Kurdish rebellion, told parliament Tuesday.
Turkey is not receiving adequate support in fighting terror from leading world and regional powers, he said.
"Turkey's patience has run out. We will discuss with the US about countries that are harbouring terrorists, as well as measures that are necessary to fight terrorism," Erdogan said.
Turkey's parliament sanctioned military cross-border operations against the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), based in northern Iraq, despite opposition from Washington and Baghdad.
Turkey has amassed up to 150,000 troops, including ground and air forces in anticipation of a major cross-border military operation against nearly 3,500 PKK insurgents based in Iraq.
The prime minister said Ankara would continue to use diplomacy to resolve the problem of Kurdish separatism, but does not rule out a cross-border operation against the PKK.
The Turkish ambassador to Russia stressed Tuesday that the goal of Ankara's likely military operation in Iraq will be to wipe out Kurdish separatists, not to occupy Iraqi territory.
"Once the goal has been achieved, Turkish troops will return to Turkey. There is no intention to occupy or seize Iraqi territory," the ambassador Kurtulus Taskent said.
Meanwhile, an attack involving F-16 fighter-bombers, Cobra attack helicopters and heavy artillery continued for over 30 hours, Turkey's NTV channel said.
The Turkish army said Monday it had captured 100 Kurdish rebels near the border. Monday's fighting coincided with the 84th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, which the country marked with large-scale military parades.
Three Turkish soldiers have died in clashes with insurgents on the border since Monday morning. A fourth was killed in a blast in Tunceli Province, in west-central Turkey.
The PKK, on the terror list of the US, NATO and the EU, has been fighting for autonomy in southeast Turkey for nearly 25 years. The conflict has so far claimed about 40,000 lives.
IANS
