The Washington Post
PKK REBELS
On the day Turkish soldiers withdrew from Iraq, Kurdish guerrillas convened to bury five of their dead in PKK territory on Feb. 29, 2008. The conclusion of an eight-day battle along Iraq's northern border that month was described by Turkey's government as the scheduled end to a successful incursion that crippled the Kurds, destroying many of their caves and hideouts. In fact, the battle ended as it had begun, with the guerrillas in sole control of hundreds of miles of mountainous terrain. At the funeral, guerrillas bowed their heads, but no tears were shed.
