International

Thirteen soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash near Turkey's border with Iraq, the Turkish army has confirmed.
     The Cougar military helicopter is reported to have gone down after getting caught in a high voltage power line in the south-eastern province of Sirnak, security sources said.
     The AS532 chopper crashed just three minutes after taking off from a base in the Senoba region, a military statement said.

It continued: 'As a result of the painful accident, our hero comrades in the helicopter fell as martrys.'
     The helicopter is believed to have been carrying around a dozen officers and soldiers.
     Initial findings showed it was an accident, said the army, adding that an investigation is underway.
     Turkey's chief of staff, General Hulusi Akar, travelled to the region to carry out an inspection, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
     In March, seven people, including four Russians, were killed when a privately-owned helicopter crashed in Istanbul after hitting a television tower.
     Turkish troops are engaged in operations against Kurdish militants in the mountainous Sirnak province.