Turkey: Military killed up to 100 PKK rebels

Turkey announced that its military has killed up to 100 Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq in the past week, according to reports. A statement on the military's website also said more than 80 had been wounded.

The military has launched a week of artillery and airstrikes against separatists at suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) bases, BBC reports. Air forces have hit 132 targets and heavy artillery bombed another 349.

Reuters states that the strikes are the first in more than a year and mark an escalation in the almost three decade conflict between Turkey and the PKK. About 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The Turkish military statement added that the strikes against the PKK bases would continue, the New York Times reports.

“North of Iraq and inside the country will be closely monitored for any separatist terror actions as air and land operations will continue,” according to the statement.

The PKK reportedly uses the mountainous region in northern Iraq as a base from which to launch attacks on Turkey. The United States, European Union and Turkey have designated the PKK a terrorist organization.

Last Wednesday, PKK fighters ambushed a Turkish troop convoy and killed nine soldiers, BBC reports. The military strikes followed soon thereafter.

PKK spokesman Ahmed Denis said Monday that if the strikes continued, his group would "go to war with Turkey."