The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Ankara

Turkish warplanes and ground troops attacked Kurdish rebel positions just inside northern Iraq between Sunday and Tuesday evening, military sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The warplanes flew as deep as 20 km (13 miles) into Iraqi territory and some 300 ground troops advanced about 10 km, killing 34 rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the sources said.

They made clear these were small sorties of a kind that Turkish forces have been known to conduct in the past across the mountainous border, not a large-scale offensive that U.S. and Iraqi authorities are trying to avert.

"Further 'hot pursuit' raids into northern Iraq can be expected, though none have taken place so far today (Wednesday)," a military official said, adding that all Turkish troops involved in the operations were now back in Turkey. Turkish artillery units were shelling rebel positions as late as Tuesday night in northern Iraq, a government official said on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The strikes were in retaliation for a rebel ambush on Sunday that killed 12 soldiers and apparently led to the capture of eight.

The official did not say which areas were targeted and refused to give further information.

Local media have reported that Turkish jets have struck targets inside of since Sunday's attack, but the government official denied that air power was used. Iraqi Kurdish officials have confirmed Turkish shelling along the border area.

Turkey, which has massed troops on the border, warned Iraq and Western allies on Tuesday that an attack was imminent unless the U.S.-backed government in Baghdad takes action. Officials also said there would be no cease-fire with the separatist fighters.

Turkish leaders face growing demands at home to stage an offensive in northern Iraq, where the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party - the PKK - rest, train and get supplies in relative safety before returning to Turkey to conduct attacks.

Iraq proposed to send a high-level delegation to Turkey in a few days to discuss the problem.

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, returning late Tuesday from meetings in Baghdad, said: "We said that we are expecting them to come with concrete proposals t otherwise the visit will have no meaning."

The U.S. issued its most direct demand yet for anti-rebel measures from Iraqi Kurds who hold effective autonomy over territory where Turkish Kurd guerrillas have camps.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered the closure of all offices belonging to the PKK in Iraq and said they would not be allowed to operate in Iraqi territory.

But Babacan said that "we need more than words. We said that preventing the PKK from using Iraqi soil, an end to logistical support and all PKK activities inside Iraq and closing of its camps are needed. We also said its leaders need to be arrested and extradited to Turkey."

During the funerals Tuesday of 12 soldiers slain by rebels in the weekend ambush, tens of thousands mourners chanted slogans urging the government to order an incursion.