Turks, Kurdish Rebels in Worst Clashes in 8 Months

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan speaks in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Oct. 3, 2008. Erdogan cut...

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan speaks in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Oct. 3, 2008. Erdogan cut short his visit to Turkmenistan and cancelled a trip to Mongolia to return home after fighting between Kurdish rebels and Turkey's army in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq has killed 15 soldiers and at least 23 insurgents, Saturday, Oct. 4 , 2008. The attack was the deadliest battle between the longtime enemies this year. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

(AP)

The Turkish army clashed with Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq in their deadliest battle in eight months, and the government vowed Saturday to fight the rebels at full force.

Fifteen soldiers and at least 23 insurgents were killed, the military said Saturday. Twenty more soldiers were wounded, the government said.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned early to Ankara from an official visit to Turkmenistan to lead an emergency security meeting, and President Abdullah Gul canceled a planned visit to France on Sunday.

"Whatever the cost, the fight will go on full force," Gul told reporters before meeting with the chief of the military.

Outraged Turks demonstrated in the streets in several cities, politicians denounced the rebels, and images of grieving families of fallen soldiers covered the Web sites of almost all newspapers.

The Iraqi government, the European Union, NATO and the U.S. Embassy in Ankara all condemned the rebels and supported Turkey. Iraq also called on Ankara to show restraint in its response.

The fighting Friday was the deadliest since February, when Turkey staged a weeklong ground offensive against guerrillas based in northern Iraq and claimed to have killed hundreds of them.

The military did not say whether Turkish soldiers crossed the border into Iraq on Friday, but said rebels attacked soldiers near a military outpost in Aktutun, Turkey, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of the Iraqi border, and Turkish warplanes, helicopters and artillery units pounded insurgent positions in northern Iraq.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry called the attack with heavy weaponry from northern Iraq was "a grave situation," and called again on Iraq to capture the Kurdish rebels and work to prevent future attacks.

"We expect Iraq to fulfill its responsibilities," the ministry said.

Iraq's presidential council then said it would continue efforts with Turkey to prevent any more such aggression and end "the illegitimate presence of the gunmen on Iraqi territory."