Background

In the aftermath of WWI the Entente Powers dismantled the Ottoman Empire. While initially Kurdistan was to be granted independence under the Treaty of Sèvres when the Ottoman Empire collapsed and the newfound Republic of Turkey was created the treaty was renegotiated seeding part of Kurdistan to the British mandate of Iraq and keeping the rest under Turkish control.[2056] In the ensuing years there were several revolts for Kurdish independence such as the Koçkiri Rebellion in 1920, the Sheikh Said Rebellion in 1925, the rebellion of Shaikh Abdurrahman in 1927, the founding of the Republic of Ararat from 1927-1930, and the Dersim Revolt in 1937. [2057]

Kurdish nationalism began resurgence in the 1970's when Turkey was racked with Left-right clashes and the Marxist PKK was formed demanding a Kurdish state.[2058] During the 1980's Turkey began a program of forced assimilation of its Kurdish population. Use of the Kurdish language was outlawed and Turks began denying the existence of the Kurdish ethnic group instead calling them "mountain Turks". [2059] This culminated in 1984 when the PKK began a rebellion against Turkish rule attacking Turkish military and civilian targets. The Turkish government responded with committing their own atrocities by wiping out Kurdish villages. Due to these tactics that target civilians 37,000 have died in the still ongoing conflict.[2060]

With the aftermath of the failed 1991 uprisings in Iraq against Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 1991 the UN established no fly zones in Kurdish areas of Iraq giving those areas de facto independence.[2061] The PKK soon found a safe haven from which they could launch attacks against Turkey and Turkey responded with the 1995 Turkish incursion in Iraq and the 1997 Turkish incursion in Iraq in an attempt to crush the PKK. [2062]

With the invasion of Iraq in 2003 much of the arms of the former Iraqi army fell into the hands of the Kurdish Peshmerga militia. [2063] The Peshmerga became the de facto army of northern Iraq and many of its weapons found their way into the hands of other Kurdish groups such as the PKK and the PJAK (a PKK offshoot which operated in Iran). With the influx of weapons the PKK attacks have increased in both strength and frequency. [2064] On May.22, 2007 there was a suicide bombing in Ankara which killed 8 and wounded over 100. This attack was attributed to the PKK and the Turkish army decided to launch a military action against them. [2065] Currently over 15,000 PKK fighters are believed to be in Iraqi Kurdistan. [2066]

There are several other reasons behind the conflict. Prime Minster Erdogan's Islamic party has faced the massive Republic Protests against it by secularists across Turkey and there is the possibility of a military coup. Many see the incursion as a method for Erdogan to regain popularity with the Turkish public and the Turkish military. Also there is fear that if Iraqi Kurdistan declares outright independence in the future then there will be a large scale rebellion amongst the Kurds of Turkey. [2067] Lastly there are planed to be referendums in November in Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Regional Government on weather or not they wish to join the Kurdish zone. [2068] A flash point of this referendum is Kirkuk which is the home of the Turkomen ethnic group which is related to the Turks of Turkey. Occasional clashes have broken out between the Turkomen and the Kurds with more feared in the coming referendums. [2069]

Timeline

May.22, 2007: A suicide bombing hits Ankara killing 8 and wounding over 100. While no one claims responsibility the PKK is blamed by the government.

May.27, 2007: The US Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul discussed the possible outbreak of Turkish-Kurdish hostilities. Immediately after American troops and civilians begin evacuating form northern Iraq.

May.30, 2007: American and Kurdish forces sign an agreement transferring the security of Iraqi Kurdistan to the Peshmerga. American forces are evacuated from all Kurdish areas except Kirkuk.

May.31, 2007: The Turkish military announced they were prepared to launch and incursion into Iraq. Leader of Iraqi Kurdistan Massoud Barzani announced that the Peshmerga will join the PKK in fighting against a Turkish incursion.

Jun.2, 2007: American troops and civilians have withdrawn from all of Iraqi Kurdistan. Massoud Barzani again warns the Turkish military that any incursion will be fought against by the Peshmerga. An estimated 100,000 Turkish troops are mobilized on the boarder between Turkey and Iraq.

Jun.4, 2007: A PKK suicide bomber kills 8 soldiers and wound 6 at an army checkpoint in Tunceli.

Jun.5, 2007: There are reports of limited shelling and air strikes by the Turkish army attacking PKK bases in Iraqi Kurdistan

Jun.6, 2007: Thousands of Turkish forces entered Iraq. Due to the complete lack of media presence in the area there are conflicting reports. Turkish officials claim only 150 forces entered Iraq only a few killometers from the border and left without and confrontation with the PKK. The Israeli intelligence website Debka file claims that hundreds to thousands of Turkish troops crossed the border as the first wave of a planned invasion. They claim that both sides have suffered heavy casualties and the PKK was much better armed then previously thought. Reports claim that the PKK shot down a Black Hawk helicopter and destroyed several Turkish tanks. There are also claims that PKK units based in Turkey are attacking Turkish forces from their rear thereby both slowing their invasion and forcing the Turks to fight a two front war.

Jun.7, 2007: Turkey declares a 3 month martial law in Kurdish areas near the Iraq boarder and banes civilian flights to the area. Both Iraqi and Turkish sources are either acknowledging or denying weather Turkish forces have entered Iraq. It has been confirmed that 3 Turkish soldiers have been killed by a PKK landmine.