ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Kurdish guerrilla group PKK declared today that it would halt attacks, but said its rebels would continue to defend themsleves when attacked by Turkish forces, a Belgium-based Kurdish news agency reported.

The Turkish military has intensified anti-rebel operations in the country's southeast, at the border with Iraq, where the guerrillas have been fighting for autonomy for more than two decades.

Turkish troops have massed at the frontier and shelled Iraqi territory while pursuing rebels, drawing criticism from the Iraqi government and raising fears that the conflict could draw in Turkey's NATO ally, the United States.

“We will not carry out attacks other than for self-defense,” the rebel group said in a statement, according to the Firat news agency.

The rebels urged the government to halt military attacks in part because of elections in July.

“If the government wants to reduce tensions and stage elections in a more secure environment, the only way for that is for the army to stop its attacks,” the rebel group said. “We are clearly saying that if the operations are stopped, the tensions will end.”

The Turkish government had no immediate response, but has ignored several past cease-fires declared by the group, ruling out negotiations with “terrorists.”