Austria Reaps Bitter Fruits Of Turkish-Kurdish Clash

Friction between Turkish soldiers and Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq sparked a parallel clash in Austria this weekend when a major street fight erupted in Vienna.

As many as 80 people were said to be involved in Sunday's altercation, which saw knives drawn between Turkish and Kurdish immigrants. At least five people were injured, two of whom were stabbed. The brawl took place in a district beyond the centre that is densely populated by immigrants. Similar clashes occurred in Innsbruck.

It is estimated that 50,000 Kurdish immigrants in Austria, as against 200,000 ethnic Turks. Last week Turkey threatened to invade Northern Iraq after complaining that the Kurdish regional government had not done enough to curb the actions of militants, who they branded as 'terrorists.'