The Turkish government has not announced when it will withdraw its forces from northern Iraq, despite a request from United States President George W. Bush to return its troops in the next few days. Casualty figures are difficult to corroborate as Turkish soldiers battle Kurdish PKK fighters in the snow-covered mountainous region. While the Turks have sustained some losses, those on the Kurdish side appear to be far heavier. Turkey launched the operation a week ago after months of warnings that it would not tolerate attacks on its soldiers and civilians by the PKK separatists. However, Iraq and the official Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq have made clear their displeasure at the mission and warned they will not stand idly by indefinitely.