ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's state-run news agency says police have detained more than 30 people, including several Kurdish mayors, in a nationwide crackdown against Kurdish rebels.

The Anatolia agency says police conducted simultaneous raids in 11 cities on Thursday in an operation against people suspected of links to a political wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.

Anatolia says those detained include at least seven mayors, a prominent local politician and two human-rights activists.

The raid comes two weeks after Turkey's highest court closed down a pro-Kurdish political party on charges of ties to the rebels.

The PKK has been fighting for autonomy since 1984. More than 40 people were detained in a similar sweep in April.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122401001_pf.html