Turkish soldier killed in clash with Kurd rebels

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, June 11 (Reuters) A Turkish soldier was killed by Kurdish guerrillas today, marking the latest escalation of violence that has already prompted speculation Ankara may launch an anti-rebel operation into northern Iraq.

The paramilitary police corporal was killed and another paramilitary was wounded in a clash with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels in the eastern province of Erzincan.

''In the operation one gendarme corporal was martyred,'' one security official said.

The army has responded to the death by launching a large operation against the rebels, officials said.

Ankara has sent tens of thousands of soldiers to fight rebels in the mainly Kurdish southeast and east, while the head of the armed forces has called for an operation in northern Iraq to deal with rebels based there.

The government has said it agrees with the army but has taken no steps to get parliament to approve such a move. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was quoted as saying today that every option was being considered.

''Everything that will give a result is among the options,'' Gul was quoted as saying in popular newspaper Hurriyet.

The death toll of Turkish soldiers has risen sharply in recent weeks: last Monday seven paramilitaries were killed when rebels attacked their headquarters, four more soldiers were killed on Thursday and three on Saturday.

Gul, whose government faces elections next month, reiterated there was no disagreement with the army over security issues and Iraq.

The United States, Turkey's NATO ally, opposes any major operation in relatively stable northern Iraq.

But on Friday Turkey's powerful and respected armed forces said they would respond to attacks from the PKK, which is blamed for the deaths of more than 30,000 people since the start of its campaign in 1984.

REUTERS KK BD1536