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Turkish soldiers ride in armored vehicles in the province of Sirnak, on the Turkish-Iraqi border, southeastern Turkey, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007. Dozens of military vehicles headed toward the Iraqi border and protesters demanded tough action against Kurdish rebels on Monday after 12 soldiers were killed in an ambush that has pushed Turkey closer to a possible attack on guerrilla bases in Iraq. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

Dozens of Turkish military vehicles streamed toward the Iraqi border with heavy artillery and ammunition Monday after Kurdish guerrillas killed a dozen soldiers and claimed to have captured eight in an intensifying crisis threatening to spill into Iraq.

Arab nations joined the U.S. and Europe in urging Turkey's government not to attack suspected guerrilla bases in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, while Turkish citizens rallied across the country demanding action against the rebels.

Iraq's president claimed the guerrillas would announce a cease-fire. But the rebels denied that, saying a cease-fire they declared in June was still in place.

With tensions worsening, the Turkish foreign minister said his government was pursuing a diplomatic solution to halt rebel operations out of havens in Iraq, but warned that it wanted to see results soon if an escalation in military action was to be avoided.