Turkish attack helicopters fired rockets into Kurdish rebel positions in mountains near the Iraq border Oct. 29 as government forces kept up the pressure on the guerrillas. Two Turkish soldiers were killed in the fighting.

The fighting occurred as Turkey celebrated its 84th anniversary as a republic into the night.

In an address to the nation, President Abdullah Gul pledged to remain resolute in the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, rebels — a fight that has been going on since 1984 and has seen nearly 40,000 people killed.

"The struggle that we have been leading as a nation against this terrorism curse is now being led with more determination," Gul said.