Kurdish rebels

A senior Turkish general says Turkey and Iran have carried out coordinated strikes against Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq. Over the past few months, Turkey has reportedly intensified its attacks against bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

The deputy head of Turkey's armed forces General Ilker Basbug told Turkish television that Turkish forces have collaborated with Iran in attacking bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in northern Iraq, and will do so again if necessary.

Turkey has come under renewed pressure to end its incursion into northern Iraq against a Kurdish rebel group.  U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Ankara and reiterated Washington's call to end the operation, which Turkey says has killed more than 230 rebels in the past week.  Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates held a series of talks with Turkey's political leadership and spoke about the incursion after meeting his Turkish counterpart, Vecdi Gonul.

"The United states believes the current operation must be as a short and as precisely targeted as possible," Gates said. But Gonul was equally firm, saying Turkish forces would remain in Iraq as long as necessary.  Gates said no discussions were held on a specific timetable for the end of the Turkish incursion.  But he ruled out cutting