Turkey says not informed on US raid on PKK

At a press briefing yesterday Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said the matter was being investigated.

Some reports appeared yesterday in the Turkish media claiming U.S. soldiers had engaged in an operation against bureaus of the Kurdistan Democratic Settlement Party, established by the PKK.

The raids took place after armed militants opened fire against U.S. soldiers. Following the raid, the soldiers detained some of the militants, the reports said.

The Turkish Vatan daily wrote, "The first serious strike from U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq against the terrorist group," as the headline to its news report.

The United States included the PKK — which now goes by the name Kongra-Gel — on its list of terrorist organizations. Turkey has been urging the United States to take action against around 4,500-5,000 armed militants of the outlawed group that are currently holed up in the mountains of northern Iraq.