The Conflict
Some 30-50 thousand Turkish forces entered Iraq on May 14 in response to an appeal by the Kurdistan Democratic Party for support in its offensive against the PKK. On May 19, the KDP launched a military operation to evacuate all PKK fighters from their capital in Arbil, which turned into a major battle in which 53 KDP and 58 PKK fighters were killed. In response the PKK ordered 4 suicide bombings from June 1 to June 11 which resulted in the death of 55 KDP fighters By July 7, when Turkish forces withdrew, over 2,000 PKK and at least 200 KDP forces had been killed.
The operation drew strong condemnation from Iraq, Iran and Syria.
Read more about this topic: Operation Hammer (1997)
Famous quotes containing the word conflict:
“I am at peace with God. My conflict is with Man.”
—Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
“The conflict between the need to belong to a group and the need to be seen as unique and individual is the dominant struggle of adolescence.”
—Jeanne Elium (20th century)