Iraq vows to arrest Kurd rebel leaders

Source: reuters


Iraq vows to arrest Kurd rebel leaders

By Sue Pleming and Evren Mesci 57 minutes ago

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Iraq said on Saturday it was ready to track down and arrest Kurdish guerrilla leaders responsible for cross-border raids into Turkey from northern Iraq.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh also said Baghdad was willing to take joint action with Ankara against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), whose attacks have drawn threats of a major Turkish military incursion against the rebels.

But the government in Baghdad has little influence over the autonomous Kurdish regions in the north and the success of any measures against PKK militants would depend on the cooperation of Kurdish authorities.

Asked whether there could be military action against the PKK, Dabbagh told Reuters: "Everything is possible and is on the table."

He was speaking on the sidelines of a conference on Iraq in Istanbul called to reduce tensions on the Turkish-Iraqi border that have rung alarm bells in Washington.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071103/ts_nm/turkey_iraq_dc

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Recall that he offered US troops to do the job last week!!

...wait, don't answer that.