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Turkish military ready for attack

ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Turkey's military may launch a ground attack at any time against the Kurdistan Workers Party in northern Iraq, the Turkish interior minister said Tuesday.

Idris Naim Sahin told reporters in Ankara an attack might occur even though talks are currently under way with Kurdish officials in northern Iraq, Today's Zaman reported.

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The Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK uses its bases in northern Iraq to launch attacks on Turkey. The group has been fighting since 1984 for an autonomous Kurdistan and greater rights for Kurds in Turkey.

In August the Turkish military launched aerial attacks on PKK targets, killing as many as 160 terrorists, the government said.

An undersecretary for Turkey's foreign ministry traveled to Iraq last week to discuss the PKK as well as bilateral and regional issues with Iraqi Kurdish officials.

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