Topic: voa
Subject: TURKEY-KURDS (S ONLY) By AL PESSIN/ANKARA
From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>
 
DATE=3/28/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-176186
TITLE=TURKEY-KURDS (S ONLY)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=ANKARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  TURKEY PRESSED ITS OFFENSIVE AGAINST KURDISH GUERRILLAS
IN NORTHERN IRAQ FOR A NINTH DAY TUESDAY, WHILE THE GUERRILLAS
HIT BACK INSIDE TURKEY.  V-O-A'S AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM ANKARA
TUESDAY'S FIGHTING CAME AMID CONTINUING CONCERN ABOUT THE WELFARE
OF TURKISH KURDISH REFUGEES IN THE BATTLE ZONE.

TEXT:  REPORTS FROM THE BATTLE AREA SAY TURKISH TROOPS IN TANKS
TOOK UP POSITIONS NEAR IRAQ'S BORDERS WITH IRAN AND SYRIA IN AN
EFFORT TO BLOCK POSSIBLE ESCAPE ROUTES FOR THE GUERRILLAS.  THE
TWO SIDES ISSUED WIDELY DIFFERENT DEATH TOLLS FROM THE NINE DAYS
OF FIGHTING, EACH CLAIMING HUNDREDS KILLED AMONG THEIR OPPONENTS
AND ONLY A FEW OF THEIR OWN.

ON THE TURKISH SIDE OF THE BORDER -- WELL BEHIND THE FRONT LINES
OF THE TURKISH ARMY INCURSION INTO IRAQ -- GUERRILLAS STRUCK AT
SEVERAL VILLAGES, SENDING TROOPS SCRAMBLING TO INTERCEPT THEM.
SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

MEANWHILE, IN NORTHERN IRAQ, UNITED NATIONS RELIEF OFFICIALS MADE
PREPARATIONS FOR A SECOND ESCAPE CONVOY FOR TURKISH KURDISH
REFUGEES, WHO FLED TURKEY IN THE PAST AND NOW FIND THEMSELVES IN
THE NEW BATTLE ZONE.  A SIMILAR CONVOY SUCCESSFULLY MOVED MORE
THAN ONE-THOUSAND REFUGEES TO SAFETY FURTHER SOUTH ON SUNDAY.

HERE IN ANKARA, TURKISH OFFICIALS EXPRESSED SURPRISE TUESDAY AT
GERMANY'S DECISION TO SUSPEND MILITARY AID BECAUSE OF THE
OPERATION, BUT SAID IT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE GUERRILLAS ARE
CRUSHED AND ONLY THEN WILL THE TROOPS BE WITHDRAWN. (SIGNED)

NEB/AWP/SKH/GPT

28-Mar-95 10:48 AM EST (1548 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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