WRAP Jets taking off, military exercises, tanks at Cizre base
(25 Oct 2007) SHOTLIST Diyarbakir Airbase - 25 October 2007 1. Wide of four fighter jets lined up at Diyarbakir airbase ++MUTE++ 2. Wide of fighter jets taking off from Diyarbakir airbase 3. Wide of fighter jet in the air Diyarbakir Airbase - 25 October 2007 4. Various of parachutists landing at airbase 5. Wide of 2 fighter jets lined up at airbase 6. Wide of fighter jet taking off from Diyarbakir airbase Cizre, Sirnak Province - 25 October 2007 7. Army trucks in convoy with empty ammunition containers 8. Man watching convoy pass 9. Various of tanks preparing for military drill 10. Warplane flying over Turkey/Iraq border area Habur, Sirnak Province - 25 October 2007 11. Turkish warplane flying over Turkey/Iraq border area STORYLINE Activity continued at Diyabakir airbase on Thursday, as a high-level Iraqi delegation was expected to visit Ankara following recommendations by the leadership that the government take economic measures against Iraq and Turkey considered a possible military cross-border offensive. Turkey has threatened to stage an incursion into northern Iraq if Iraqi Kurds and US-led coalition forces do not crack down on Kurdish rebels based there. Footage shot by AP Television showed six fighter jets taking off, and two parachutists performing military exercises at the airbase. AP Television also filmed a convoy of trucks carrying what a military source said were empty ammunition containers. The official, who was not allowed to speak to the media, asked AP Television not to be identified. Earlier on Thursday, two F-4 fighter jets were spotted flying low along the Iraqi border, apparently on a reconnaissance mission a day after warplanes reportedly pounded rebel positions along the border. Turkey has threatened to stage an incursion into northern Iraq if Iraqi Kurds and US-led coalition forces do not crack down on Kurdish rebels. A Kurdish rebel ambush near the border killed 12 soldiers on Sunday. Eight soldiers have been missing since then; the rebels say they are holding them and have distributed photographs and video footage. Turkey has launched a diplomatic campaign to ease concerns of Western allies that a Turkish offensive could destabilise northern Iraq, which escaped much of violence that gripped Iraq, and is also weighing economic sanctions as an option to win the backing of local Iraqi Kurds. The self-ruling Kurdish administration in Iraq's north relies heavily on Turkish investment, mainly for construction works, including the building of roads, hospitals and infrastructure. Ankara is also selling electricity to northern Iraq, and most food sold in markets come from Turkey. The Turkish Trade Minister said earlier on Wednesday that economic sanctions could be taken. Turkey's military and civilian leaders face growing demands at home to stage the offensive in northern Iraq, where the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, rest, train and get supplies in relative safety before returning to Turkey to conduct attacks. Troops have killed 231 Kurdish rebels in several clashes since 1 January, the state-run Anatolia news agency, citing military sources, reported on Thursday. It did not say how many soldiers were killed in the clashes in the same period, but around 30 were ambushed and killed this month alone. Turkish security forces have also seized more than 50,000 kilogrammes (110,000 pounds) of dynamite and plastic explosives from suspected rebels across the country in the same period, Anatolia reported. Kurdish militants have carried out numerous bombings in Turkey. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
