Suspected Iranian shells fall in southeastern Turkey - official

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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"We received the information that five shells fell on the Turkish side of the border," an official at the governor's office in the province of Hakkari told Reuters. 

The residents of Saridere in the southeastern province of Hakkari abandoned their homes after shells fell within 500-600 meters of the village, Dogan News Agency, or DHA, said.

Security sources said it appeared the shells came from Iran, whose fighter jets, helicopters and artillery reportedly attacked the bases of PEJAK, the PKK's Iranian wing, in northern Iraq in recent weeks.

Iran urged neighboring Iraq on Monday to "pay special attention" to terrorist groups operating in its border areas, a week after Baghdad condemned the Iranian bombing of bases of the PEJAK in northern Iraq.

Iran has neither confirmed nor denied reports its forces had bombed targets inside Iraqi territory.

Turkey and Iran have long been fighting against the terrorist movements operated by both PEJAK and the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community, including the EU and the United States.