ANKARA, March 01 , SPA -- Turkey's top general said onSaturday the Turkish armed forces withdrew its troops fromnorthern Iraq on schedule and dismissed speculation that it hadacted under pressure from its NATO ally the United States, Reuters reported. Turkey pulled its troops out of northern Iraq on Friday,ending a major offensive against Kurdish PKK rebels thatWashington had feared might destabilise the wider region. Yasar Buyukanit, head of the military General Staff, toldthe Milliyet daily the decision to pull out was taken onmilitary grounds and said there was no need to continue theground operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). "If they say that the army withdrew early, then let them gothere (northern Iraq) and stay for 24 hours," Buyukanit said,referring to the deep snow and subzero temperatures in the toughmountainous terrain where the troops were fighting. Buyukanit also denied any foreign influence on the decision,which had come just one day after U.S President George W. Bushurged a swift end to the offensive and he hailed the eight-dayoffensive as a success. "The armed forces fulfilled their duty with their land andair forces ... They did incredible things there," he said. The army killed 242 rebels out of 300 targeted in theoperation and PKK communications were cut, said Buyukanit. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/531951