Turkish planes bomb Iraqi Kurdish village - source

DAHUK, Iraq, Oct 24 (Reuters) Turkish warplanes attacked a village in the mountainous north of Iraq's Kurdistan region today, causing material damage but no casualties, an Iraqi Kurdish security official told Reuters.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a village near Shiranish Islam, 25 km northeast of the northern town of Dahuk, had been heavily bombed at midday. He gave no details of damage.

Turkish security sources said earlier today that Turkish warplanes had flown a series of sorties 20 km into Iraq between Sunday and yesterday evening, while some 300 troops had advanced about 10 km (6 miles).

A Turkish military official said further ''hot pursuit raids'' could be expected.

Turkey's government is under pressure at home to strike at separatist guerrillas hiding in the northern Iraqi mountains who have stepped up attacks on Turkish soldiers this year.

Turkey has deployed as many as 100,000 troops on the Iraqi border and warned it will launch a major incursion into northern Iraq against the PKK unless US and Iraqi forces clamp down on the group.

Baghdad and Washington have urged Turkey to refrain from military action, saying this could destabilise the wider region.

The Iraqi government has declared the PKK a terrorist group and told it to leave Iraq.

Reuters AK VP0110