Turkish warplanes again bombed suspected rear bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatist group in northern Iraq on Thursday, a rebel spokesman told AFP.

The bombing began at around 9:00 am (0600 GMT) and continued for two hours, PKK spokesman Ahmed Denis said. He added that he had no details of casualties from the aerial raids.

"Turkish warplanes bombed the areas of Khowakirk, Khanairah and Al-Zab this morning," Denis said.

He added that PKK rebels had "arrested military officials, a town mayor and 12 teachers in order them to investigate them about crimes they committed against Kurdish people in Turkey."

Denis did not give details of when or where the people were arrested, how long they would be held, or precisely how many were in detention.

Turkish warplanes most recently bombed suspected PKK bases in the northern Iraqi Kurdistan region on Sunday night. Earlier this month, Ankara threatened to launch a ground incursion into the region.

Also this month, a radical Kurdish group that Turkey says is a PKK front claimed responsibility for a bomb attack that killed three people in the centre of Ankara. The PKK, though, says the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons is a splinter group outside its control.

The Turkish air force has bombed suspected PKK targets repeatedly since August 17.

The PKK took up arms in Kurdish-majority southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 45,000 lives.

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