Turkey reports death tolls from incursion

ANKARA, Turkey, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Turkish ground forces killed at least 41 Kurdish terrorists Monday as Turkish troops pressed deep into northern Iraq.

The number of rebels reportedly killed since the incursion began late last week was 153, Hurriyet reported Monday. Turkish military reported at least 15 Turkish troops died since the incursion began last week.

Meanwhile, thousands of people rallied in Diyarbakir against Turkey's ground operation in northern Iraq, Hurriyet reported. The pro-Kurdish party and rally organizers DTP called for an end to the military operation.

Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said the ground operation is targeting only the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known by its Turkish letters PKK.

In Baghdad, government officials said they were concerned that a prolonged Turkish-Kurdish clash could trigger fighting between Turkish troops and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga security forces, Iraqi's national security adviser said.

"The ... longer Turkish soldiers stay inside Iraqi territory, the more likely this is going to happen," Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said during a news conference.