Ankara, Turkey ? Islamic militants, including fighters who have trained in Osama bin Laden’s camps, have carved out a small safe haven in northern Iraq, where they are apparently arming and have carried out attacks, Kurdish officials said Thursday.

The militants share a radical Islamic ideology with bin Laden, but it is not clear if they are loyal to him, the officials said.

There are fears that the militants could destabilize northern Iraq an area run by two rival Kurdish groups which have opposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The groups are considered key to any possible U.S. offensive aimed at overthrowing Saddam.