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First Kurd rebels reach Iraq under Turkey truce

A first group of Kurdish fighters pulling out of Turkey under a truce arrived in the autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq on Tuesday to handshakes and embraces after a gruelling week-long journey. But the Iraqi government slammed the movement of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters into its territory as a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty and said it would complain to the UN Security Council. "We are the first group to reach the safe area in Iraq," said Jagar, leader of the group of PKK fighters that comprised nine men and six women.

First Kurdish rebels reach Iraq under Turkish peace plan

By Isabel Coles HEROR, Iraq (Reuters) - Weary and caked in mud, the first group of Kurdish militants to leave Turkey under a peace plan to end three decades of war descended a mountain into Iraq on Tuesday to be met with embraces from PKK comrades.

First Kurdish fighters from Turkey arrive in Iraq

The first group of Kurdish fighters leaving Turkey as part of a peace drive with Ankara arrived to handshakes and embraces in Iraqi Kurdistan early Tuesday after a gruelling week-long journey. "We are the first group to reach the safe area in Iraq," said Jagar, leader of the group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters that comprised nine men and six women. The fighters, who arrived in the Harur area at about 6:00 am (0300 GMT), were armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, light machineguns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

First Kurdish fighters from Turkey arrive in Iraq

The first group of Kurdish fighters leaving Turkey as part of a peace drive with Ankara arrived to cheers and hugs in Iraqi Kurdistan early Tuesday after a gruelling week-long journey. "We are the first group to reach the safe area in Iraq," said Jagar, the leader of the group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters, which comprised nine men and six women. The fighters, who arrived in the Harur area at about 6:00 am (0300 GMT), were armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, light machineguns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Iraqi Kurds wary of PKK fighters coming from Turkey

Iraqi Kurds living near the border are wary of thousands of Kurdish fighters leaving Turkey for northern Iraq, and hope the move does not lead to more Turkish air and artillery strikes. For years, Turkey's military has targeted fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, keeping farmers from their land and sometimes killing and wounding civilians. The PKK, which has fought a 29-year nationalist campaign against Ankara, is now withdrawing its fighters into Iraq, where it already has bases, as part of a peace drive with Turkey.

Kurdish rebels begin pullout from Turkey

Kurdish fighters have begun withdrawing from Turkey into their stronghold in Iraq, Kurdish sources said Wednesday, in a major step towards ending a decades-long conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people. The pullout is the first visible sign that months of fragile talks between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) could succeed in ending 29 years of guerrilla war. "We know that they have started moving," Selahattin Demirtas, a pro-Kurdish lawmaker actively involved in the process, told AFP.

Kurdish rebels begin pullout from Turkey

Kurdish fighters have begun withdrawing from Turkey into their stronghold in Iraq, Kurdish sources said Wednesday, in a major step towards ending a decades-long conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people. The pullout is the first visible sign that months of fragile talks between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) could succeed in ending 29 years of guerrilla war. "We know that they have started moving," Selahattin Demirtas, a pro-Kurdish lawmaker actively involved in the process, told AFP.

Kurd rebels warn Ankara against 'provocations' during pullout

Kurdish rebel leaders have confirmed that their fighters will begin withdrawing from Turkey into bases in neighbouring Iraq on Wednesday and warned Ankara against "provocations and clashes" which could hamper their retreat. "Our guerrilla forces will take action for starting the pullout process" on Wednesday, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) command said in a statement carried by the pro-Kurdish Firat news agency on Tuesday. But the statement claimed: "Constant surveillance flights of the unmanned aerial vehicles are delaying the withdrawal process."

Kurdish rebels say Turkish army is endangering peaceful pullout

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's Kurdish rebels have accused the army of endangering an agreed pullout of rebel fighters from the mostly Kurdish southeast, due to start on Wednesday, with surveillance drones and large-scale movements of men and equipment. Top Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) commander Murat Karayilan ordered his fighters last month to begin withdrawing to bases in northern Iraq as part of a plan to end three decades of conflict with the Turkish state.

Kurdish rebels confirm Turkey pullout to begin Wednesday

Kurdish rebel leaders have confirmed that their fighters will begin withdrawing from Turkey into bases in neighbouring Iraq on Wednesday, the pro-Kurdish Firat news agency reported. "Our guerrilla forces will take action for starting the pullout process as of May 8, 2013," the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) command said in a statement carried by Firat on Tuesday. The first batch of rebels will return to their bases in northern Iraq in a week's time, according to the PKK. "This process will continue in a planned and organised way."
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