Three Turkish soldiers and five Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas were killed in clashes in eastern Turkey near the Iraqi border. Five soldiers were also injured in the clashes in the eastern province of Tunceli, said a source in the army, who did not wish to be named. He also said dozens of soldiers have been killed this year in military operations carried out by Turkey in country's east and southeast. This has prompted calls from the army for a cross-border incursion into northern Iraq to deal with rebels based there. The Justice and Development party (AKP) government, re-elected last month, resists the powerful army's calls to launch military operation against Iraq.

The United States also opposes incursion into northern Iraq. Bases of PKK are located in northern Iraq since 1984.