World Briefs

TURKEY

Turkey launches incursion into Iraq

ANKARA — Turkish soldiers, air force bombers and helicopter gunships launched an incursion into northern Iraq on Wednesday, hours after Kurdish rebels killed 24 soldiers and wounded 18 in attacks along the border.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled a visit to Kazakhstan and held a nationally televised news conference to announce that Turkey had launched the “hot pursuit” operation, wording that officials often use to describe cross-border offensives in northern Iraq.

“We will never bow to any attack from inside or outside Turkey,” he said.

Turkey’s chief of the military and the interior and defense ministers rushed to the border area to oversee the anti-rebel attacks, and the United States and NATO both issued statements supporting the offensive, the largest in more than three years.

NTV television said Turkish troops have gone some 2 1/2 miles into Iraq and that helicopters were ferrying commandos across the border.

Dogan news agency said more than 20 Kurdish rebels were killed in ensuing clashes, but did not provide a breakdown.

BRITAIN

Riot police clear illegal Traveler camp

CRAYS HILL, England — British police used sledgehammers, crowbars and a cherry picker Wednesday to clear the way for the eviction of Irish Travelers from a site where they have lived illegally for a decade.

By the afternoon, police said they were in control of the site and that bailiffs were beginning to move onto the disputed property.

Essex Police said two protesters were Tasered and seven people arrested after police officers were attacked with rocks, other missiles and liquids including urine.

Residents and supporters, however, said police had used excessive force.

Evictions of Travelers - a traditionally nomadic group similar to, but ethnically distinct from, Gypsy or Roma people - are relatively common across Britain. But few are as large, or as high-profile, as Wednesday’s at Dale Farm.

Story Continues →