ZAKHU, Iraq (Reuters) - Kurdish PKK guerrillas said on Sunday they had killed 47 Turkish troops since Turkey launched an offensive against their positions in northern Iraq.
Ahmed Danees, head of foreign relations for the separatistKurdistan Workers Party (PKK), also said only two rebels hadbeen killed and eight wounded since Turkey began its incursioninto the largely autonomous region of Kurdistan on Thursday.
Earlier, Turkey's military General Staff said it had killed112 guerrillas since fighting began. A statement on its Website reported eight Turkish troops had been killed on Sunday.
It is almost impossible to verify the claims of either sidebecause the fighting is taking place in largely inaccessibleterrain in tough winter conditions.
Earlier on Sunday, the PKK said it had shot down a Turkishattack helicopter on Saturday. Turkey's military confirmed thehelicopter had crashed but said the reason was not clear.
"The battle is very hard in six locations," Danees toldReuters by telephone.
"Today we wounded a high-ranking officer from the Turkisharmy. The intelligence information is that he died inhospital."
Danees also said that Turkish forces had tried to take avillage where the rebels had the bodies of 15 Turkish soldiers.
"We thwarted this attack and they turned back."
(Reporting by Shamal Aqrawi; Writing by Michael Holden)
