MiGs bomb rebel Kurds

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33521, 30 April 1974, Page 13

MiGs bomb rebel Kurds

(N'.Z P. A.-Reuter — Copyright) ANKARA, April 29. Iraqi MiG jet-fighter aircraft violated Turkish air space three times yesterday during raids on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, according to a senior Turkish official in the border area, who says that the bombing was so close to the frontier that fragments of cannon shells fell into I urkey, and farmers fled from their fields.

Iraqi air raids have been intensified as an armoured Government relief force pushes closer Io the frontier town of Zahko, where the rebels are bombard-1 ing with shells the be-1 leagured garrison of 1000 men. Eye-witnesses on the Turk-! ish border say that as the Iraqi MiGs swooped low over! the Habur River Valley, they! were raked with machine-i gun fire from the rebels. j The sound of heavy shell-1 ing was audible throughout! the day, and Turkish border! officials say it appears that! the Government relief force I has now entered the White' Mountains less than 10 miles! from Zahko. The Kurdish rebels, fighting for autonomy in the mountains of northern Iraq.' have rejected Baghdad's latest terms for limited Kurdish autonomy, and are insist-

ing on control of the oil-rich Kirkuk region. A week ago, the Kurds began shelling-the Zahko garrison and another nearby Goviernment camp. I The Government has sent! !a strong force of tanks and! ' armoured cars to recapture, both the garrison and a! border post on the Turkish' [frontier which the Kurdish! iPesh Merga militia seized on I March 12.