Top American commander in Iraq visits Turkey

The top American commander in Iraq, Gen. Lloyd Austin, has arrived in Turkey to hold security talks with Turkish officials
The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that Austin will meet Turkish generals and Interior Minister Beşir Atalay, who recently traveled to northern Iraq to urge the northern Iraq regional administration to do more to stop the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, from using the area to launch deadly attacks in Turkey.

The Turkish Parliament is to vote shortly on extending for another year a mandate authorizing the military to carry out cross-border operations against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq. The current authority expires Oct. 17.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

AP