Turkey's top military commander says Ankara's decision to withdraw its troops from northern Iraq was not due to any pressure from the United States.

The Turkish military says all its troops have withdrawn from northern Iraq after a week-long assault on Kurdish rebels. Ankara accuses the rebels of using Iraq as a base to launch attacks against Turkish forces. But in the last few days international pressure, especially from the United States, has been increasing on Turkey to end the operation. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has made his first official trip to Washington to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. During his visit, Smith made clear that the new Australian government will go ahead with its plan to withdraw its troops from Iraq within six months. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

Poland’s new Prime Minister said Friday that the country would withdraw its troops from Iraq next year, but continue mission in Afghanistan.

The Taliban says it will only hold talks with the government if they resulted in the withdrawal of the tens of thousands of Western troops from Afghanistan.