Iraq's Kurds have vowed to fight off any attack on their region, as pressure mounts on the Iraqi and US administrations to act against Kurdish rebels and stave off a threatened Turkish incursion.

Kurdish officials say Iran has closed its border with Iraq's northern Kurdish region as a protest to the arrest of an Iranian by the U.S. military.

Iraqi health officials say at least eight people have died from an outbreak of cholera in the war-torn country's northern provinces. They say another 4,000 suspected cholera cases are being treated.

With the initial excitement dying down after Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) party won early parliamentary elections on July 22, the Islamic-oriented AK must now tackle a number of pressing challenges.

Tensions remain high over Turkey's deployment of armor to its border region with Iraq. The build-up comes as PKK guerrillas have stepped up attacks in southeast Turkey and there is much speculation that Turkish troops will attack PKK bases in northern Iraq.

Tensions are rising on Turkey's border with Iraq. The leader of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, Mass'ud Barzani, said today that Turkish troops shelled an Iraqi border area on June 3. He said the shelling targeted Haji Umran, believed to be used by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to carry out attacks in Turkey.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has warned Turkey against staging cross-border raids against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Mr. Maliki said Saturday he will not allow Iraq's largely peaceful Kurdish region to become a battleground.