Turkish dailies covered in their Thursday edition a military funeral service for eight Turkish troops killed in a clash with PKK terrorists in southeast Turkey, international credit rating agency Moody's upgrade for Turkish government bonds, suspension of five police officers for beating a man, and remarks by Israel's vice prime minister on Turkey.

"Tears of the top commander," daily HURRIYET superimposed on the funeral service for eight Turkish troops who were killed on Monday by PKK terrorists in the southeast province of Hakkari. "Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel couldn't keep his tears to himself," the daily said as caskets wrapped in Turkish flags were carried to two planes destined to take them to their families.

Daily VATAN claimed that prior to the attack in Daglica area, police and the National Intelligence Organization have drafted 32 intelligence reports warning PKK terrorists in separate small groups had infiltrated the area and their numbers had reached over 100, hiding heavy weapons in a valley in the region.

Daily YENI SAFAK said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was set to cut short his trip to Brazil and return to Turkey on Thursday night after the Daglica attack.

"Moody's raises our grade," daily MILLIYET said over an upgrade by international credit rating agency Moody's on Turkey's government bonds from BA2 to BA1, which is one notch below investment grade. "Looking ahead, an upgrade to an investment-grade rating will probably be dependent on Turkey becoming more resilient to balance-of-payment shocks," daily quoted Moody's Turkey specialist as saying.

"Police brutality," daily CUMHURIYET headlined over the suspension of five police officers after video footage emerged showing eight police officers beating a man in front of his family in Istanbul. Interior Ministry said an investigation was launched immediately.

"Turks are now the super power of the region," daily TURKIYE said over remarks by Israeli Vice Prime Minister and former chief of the military staff Shaul Mofaz. "Everyone should realize that Turkey had become a super power in its region. We need to have strategic relations with Turkey as we did in the past," daily quoted Mofaz as telling a panel discussion at US think-tank Washington Institute.

AA