51 killed in Kurdish attack

ANKARA (AFP) - Thirty members of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), 15 soldiers and six pro-government fighters died after several dozen members of the PKK launched a dawn attack on the Aktutun border post near Semdinli in Hakkari province, south-east Turkey, on Sunday, according to a police source in Hakkari.

After the attack, the PKK guerrillas withdrew toward mountains in Iraqi territory where, according to press reports, the Turkish army has launched extensive operations to hunt the rebels down. Hakkari, which borders both Iraq and Iran, is one of 13 regions in east and southeast Turkey under a state of emergency.

At least 5,200 people have been killed since the PKK began its armed opposition to the Ankara government in August 1984.