A military statement issued Saturday said the operation launched Wednesday against the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is continuing.

It said air and ground offensives continue in two southern Turkish regions and in a few regions across the border, in northern Iraq.

On Friday, Turkey sought support from neighboring Iran in its fight against the rebels.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi met with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu, on Friday in Ankara, where the two announced plans to collaborate against the PKK and its Iranian wing, the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK).

Salehi said the two groups are "common problems" for both countries and they need to cooperate more seriously against them. Iran also has a large Kurdish minority.

Turkey launched the offensive against the Kurdish militants after a series of PKK attacks Wednesday killed 24 soldiers.

VOA