Turkish planes 'bomb Iraqi Kurds'

Turkey's air force has launched fresh bombing raids against bases of separatist Kurds in northern Iraq, the state news agency Anatolian said. Several Turkish air force jets began the raids late on Thursday night, reports said. The strikes targeted Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas based in the northern Iraqi region of Qandil. Turkey has staged several cross-border raids into northern Iraq over the past few months in pursuit of the rebels. In February, Ankara launched a week-long ground offensive in northern Iraq which, it said, targeted bases used by up to 3,000 Kurdish rebels as a springboard for attacks across the border. It accuses Iraq of failing to stop the PKK - who are fighting for greater autonomy in south-eastern Turkey - from using the area as a safe haven. The PKK is branded a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and EU. More than 30,000 people have been killed since it began its armed campaign in 1984.