The changing of the seasons are nearly always marked by military activity across the border between South-Eastern Turkey and Northern Iraq. This is Turkey's last big push against the PKK before mountainous terrain in the region becomes almost impassable during the winter months.

Military officials say 20,000 Turkish troops have crossed the border to hit the PKK in the area around Hakurk, where the rebel movement is known to have a series of camps. The Turkish military is apparently trying to trap the PKK in a pincer movement.

8,000 fighters from the Iraqi Kurdish faction, the KDP, are also attacking from the South. The KDP has been co-operating closely with Turkey for several months but in general the PKK is better armed and better trained than the Iraqi Kurds.

It tries to use the winter months to strengthen its bases in Northern Iraq before Turkey attacks again at the onset of Spring. The Turkish army has had a continuous military presence in Northern Iraq since May and it recently became involved in fighting between the rival Iraqi Kurdish factions.

Turkey's Western allies are prepared to put up with its regular forays across the border, but the Arab world is not so happy. The Iraqi government hasn't controlled the North of the country since the end of the Gulf War in 1991.