Subject: TURKEY/KURDS (S) By PEYMAN PEJMAN/CAIRO From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/22/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175877 TITLE=TURKEY/KURDS (S) BYLINE=PEYMAN PEJMAN DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH FORCES ARE CONTINUING THEIR LAND AND AIR ATTACKS AGAINST KURDISH GUERRILLAS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS SAY AS MANY AS 200 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SO FAR. FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU IN CAIRO PEYMAN PEJMAN FILED THIS REPORT. TEXT: JOURNALISTS IN TURKEY SAID TURKISH JETS TOOK OFF FROM A BASE NEAR THE SELF-RULED KURDISH AREAS WEDNESDAY, APPARENTLY HEADING FOR TARGETS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. TURKEY HAS COMMITTED ABOUT 35-THOUSAND TROOPS, BACKED BY TANKS AND JET FIGHTERS, TO SUBDUE KURDISH REBELS IN IRAQ. IT IS LTHE LARGEST MILITARY OPERATION THAT TURKEY HAS MOUNTED IN ITS RECENT HISTORY. THE GUERRILLAS, MOSTLY FROM THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, BETTER KNOWN AS P-K-K, ENTRENCHED IN THE MOUNTAINOUS NORTHERN IRAQ. BUT TURKISH TROOPS HAVE REPORTEDLY MOVED MORE THAN 40 KILOMETERS INTO THE COUNTRY SINCE THE ASSAULT BEGAN MONDAY. THERE HAS BEEN NO REACTION FROM THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT. TURKEY'S PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER AS SAID HER GOVERNMENT HAS NOT SET A TIME LIMIT FOR THE OPERATION. SHE SAID TURKISH TROOPS WILL CONTINUE THEIR ASSAULT UNTIL THE P-K-K IS DEALT WHAT SHE CALLED A FINAL BLOW. MRS. CILLER SAID IT TOOK HER GOVERNMENT THREE MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR THE OPERATION, WHICH IS REPORTEDLY COSTING THE AILING TURKISH ECONOMY ONE BILLION DOLLARS. (SIGNED) NEB/PP/MH/CF 22-Mar-95 8:11 AM EST (1311 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------