Iran kills three Kurdish militias in western province

www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-08 16:59:10

TEHRAN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iranian military forces have killed three "foreign" Kurdish separatists during a battle in the western province of Kordestan, the state media reported Thursday. "The three people are nationals of a neighboring country, and are members of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) terrorist group, they were killed in Kamyaran county (500 km southwest of the capital, Tehran)," said the report. The report didn't mention the specific time and other details of the battle. Iran's West Azarbaijan, Kordestan and Kermanshah provinces border Iraq and have substantial Kurdish populations. The Kurdish PJAK militant group was linked to the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) which was fighting with the Turkey, and had launched a string of deadly attacks against Iranian security forces in northwestern Iran in the past months. In last February and August, 20 Iranian military personnel, including some Revolutionary Guards commanders, were killed in two helicopter crashes during operations against the guerillas. Tehran has described the rebels as "mercenary elements", and has repeatedly accused the U.S. and Britain of trying to make convulsions in the country's bordering areas with Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan.