Turkey, Iran step up fight against terrorist PKK, PJAK

Both Turkey and Iran are stepping up their fight against the terrorist PKK and outlaw PJAK, but diplomatic sources said the two countries' operations are not linked and no military coordination had been sought so far, despite their cooperation in anti-terrorist efforts. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, and PJAK, an allegedly linked group, operates mostly in Iran from bases in northern Iraq. The Iranian army launched an operation against PJAK on July 16 and clashes between the Sipah Pastaran Army of Iran and PJAK forces intensified over the weekend, the pro-Kurdish Firat News Agency reported yesterday, claiming that the militants repelled Iranian forces and killed at least five troops. The Iranian army offensive was supported by a strong bombardment, it said. The Firat News Agency is sympathetic to pro-Kurdish political parties in Turkey and often carries announcements from the PKK. The Iranian army, however, said yesterday that PJAK militants were trapped by a group of Kurdish Basij (volunteer) forces Monday night in the Kandil, Haji Ebrahim and Doleto areas near the towns of Piranshahr and Sardasht in Iran's West Azerbaijan province. "The PJAK terrorists were killed by local Kurdish Basij forces. The bodies of the terrorists were left in the area," the army said, adding that operations would continue until the last militant is defeated.