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US presses for end to Turkey raid US presses for end to Turkey raid
(about 2 hours later)
Turkey's incursion into northern Iraq "should be as short and precisely targeted as possible", US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said.Turkey's incursion into northern Iraq "should be as short and precisely targeted as possible", US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said.
Mr Gates was speaking after talks with top Turkish officials in Ankara. Mr Gates was speaking after talks with his Turkish counterpart Vecdi Gonul in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Turkey earlier said there was no timetable for an end to its offensive targeting Kurdish PKK separatists. Mr Gonul said the assault on Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatists would last "as long as necessary".
Baghdad has said that the Turkish military operation - that was launched last week - was unacceptable and violated Iraq's sovereignty. On Wednesday, Turkey said 230 rebels and 24 soldiers had been killed since the offensive started last Thursday.
The Turkish military says its goal is to destroy bases of PKK rebels, who want a homeland in south-east Turkey. The PKK say they have killed at least 81 Turkish soldiers. Neither report can be independently verified.
On Tuesday, Ankara said 77 rebels and five of its soldiers had been killed in clashes. It said 230 rebels and 24 soldiers had been killed since the offensive was launched on Thursday. Iraq says the incursion, that was launched last week, is unacceptable and violates its sovereignty.
The PKK rebels say they have killed at least 81 Turkish soldiers. Neither report can be independently verified. The Turkish military says its goal is to destroy the bases of the rebels, who want an independent homeland in south-east Turkey.
Socio-economic measures
In Ankara, Mr Gates reiterated Washington's call for the Turkish military operation against the PKK to be short and focused.
Military action alone will not end this terrorist threat Robert GatesUS Defence Secretary
Earlier this week, he said the offensive must not last more than a week or two.
However, Mr Gates said he had not discussed a withdrawal timetable with Mr Gonul.
"Military action alone will not end this terrorist threat," Mr Gates said, urging Ankara to address the economic and social concerns of Turkey's large Kurdish minority and continue dialogue with Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish leaders.
Click to view a detailed map of the border regionEnlarge Map
For his part, Mr Gonul said Turkish troops would remain in northern Iraq until their mission was complete.
He added that Ankara had "no intention to occupy any areas".
Since November, the US has been providing real-time intelligence to help Turkey target the PKK across the border.
Ankara will not want to jeopardise that vital support, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says.
But now that Turkish troops are engaging the PKK on the ground, apparently successfully, the military will not be keen either to leave too soon, our correspondent says.
More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began their campaign in 1984.More than 30,000 people have been killed since the PKK began their campaign in 1984.
Ankara says as many as 3,000 PKK members use northern Iraq as a safe haven.Ankara says as many as 3,000 PKK members use northern Iraq as a safe haven.
The US, the EU and Turkey consider the PKK to be a terrorist organisation.The US, the EU and Turkey consider the PKK to be a terrorist organisation.