Turkish jets bomb Kurdish PKK rebels near Iraq

In a new development the BBC reported that Turkish warplanes had bombed Kurdish PKK rebel targets near the Iraqi border on the 12 October 2014, as their fragile ceasefire within Turkey came under increasing strain, in the context of the attacks on Kurds in neighbouring Iraq and Syria by the so-called Islamic State..

Kurds were furious at Turkey's inaction as Islamic State (IS) militants attacked the Syrian border town of Kobane.

France24 reported that Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), issued an ultimatum that would expire on the 15 October 2014. If Turkey did not help the Kurds in Kobane, their Syrian enclave besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters, he threatened to pull the PKK out of the peace process.

• Primary Source

The Guardian, 1410.14: Turkey's passive-aggressive inaction in Kobani is anti-Kurd, anti-peace politics. And it's dangerous http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/turkey-inaction-kobani-kurdish-peace-politics

ESO: Background information: IS militants advance into Kobane http://www.europeansources.info/record/is-militants-advance-into-kobane/

ESO: Background information: Find further information in ESO on Turkey and its relations with the Kurds http://www.europeansources.info/advSearchLink?keyword=turkey%20kurds%20&searchOption=all

ESO: Background information: Turkey clamps down on Syria border after Kurdish unrest http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkey-clamps-down-on-syria-border-after-kurdish-unrest/

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 14.10.14: Turkey and US at odds over military bases http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER151928-Turkey-and-US-at-odds-over-military-bases

Deutsche Welle, 14.10.14: Kurdish aid stuck in northeast Syria as Turkey launches airstrikes on PKK http://dw.de/p/1DVL4

France24 / Hurriyet,14.10.14: Turkish fighter jets bomb PKK targets http://www.france24.com/en/20141014-hurriyet-daily-news-turkey-fighter-jets-bomb-pkk/

Euro|Topics: Who's saying what: Turkish military action in the Middle East http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/debatten/links-2014-10-tuerkeieinmarsch/

France24, 14.10.14: Is Turkey really committed to peace with the Kurds? http://www.france24.com/en/20141014-turkey-kurds-peace-pkk-ocalan-kobani-syria-erdogan-islamic-state/

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 15.10.14: Unrest between Ankara and PKK http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER152016-Unrest-between-Ankara-and-PKK

The Guardian, 14.10.14: Turkish jets bombard Kurdish positions http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/14/turkish-jets-bombard-kurdish-positions-pkk

The Conversation, 15.10.14: Turkey bombs Kurdish forces as new wave of violence threatens to spill across borders http://theconversation.com/turkey-bombs-kurdish-forces-as-new-wave-of-violence-threatens-to-spill-across-borders-33035

Euronews, 20.10.14: Turkey refuses to arm Kurds fighting ISIL in Kobani http://www.euronews.com/2014/10/20/turkey-refuses-to-arm-kurds-fighting-isil-in-kobani/

---