Turkey: Damascus allowing PKK rebels to operate in Syria

The Turkish interior minister says Damascus is allowing Kurdish rebels to set up positions in Syria as the two countries' ties deteriorate. Idris Naim Sahin said Turkish intelligence reports indicate that Syria "is turning a blind eye" to rebels who have established themselves in areas close to the Turkish border. He says rebels belonging to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, have even taken control of the running of some towns. In an interview with Turkey's NTV television Wednesday, Sahin said the move was an apparent act of "revenge" against Turkey, which has called on the Syrian leader to step down and is hosting opposition members. Syria harbored PKK rebels until Turkey threatened military action in 1998. Damascus was cooperating with Turkey in its fight against the rebels until ties soured over Syria's bloody crackdown on civilians.