"There have been reports that Turkish armed forces have entered northern Iraq overnight. Those reports are not true," the general staff said in a statement, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Turkish parliament authorized the government Thursday, March 20, to send troops into Kurdish-held northern Iraq, where Ankara perceives threats to its security.

"Within this framework, the Turkish armed forces have completed all kinds of planning and stand ready to implement those plans if the situation and circumstances require," the statement said.

Earlier Saturday, BBC television reported that its troops had already advanced into northern Iraq.

Turkish satellite television station CNN-Turk said Turkish military units crossed into northern Iraq from the south-eastern town of Cukurca during the night to prepare the ground for the arrival of more units.

A Kurdish military commander in the Zakho region, near the border with Turkey , said that as far as he was aware no Turkish troops had entered northern Iraq overnight.

Asked if he was aware of reports that around 1,500 Turkish troops had crossed into Kurdish-controlled Iraq , Wahid Bakouzi, head of the Darkar barracks and one of two commanders in the Zakho region, said: "No."

The press service of the KDP was also unable to confirm the information.

Washington has frequently warned Turkey against unilateral military action in northern Iraq , saying any Turkish foray into the region should be under the command of the U.S.-led coalition.

However, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said late Friday that Turkish troops would enter northern Iraq allegedly to stop any exodus of refugees towards the Turkish border and to prevent Kurdish rebels from using the area for operations against Turkish targets.

"All problems with the United States have been resolved. Turkish soldiers will go into northern Iraq ," Gul told reporters on his return from Brussels where he attended an E.U. summit.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish leaders in Turkey and northern Iraq Saturday issued fierce warnings to Ankara against any military intervention in the autonomous Kurdish region.

Such a move would lead to "uncontrolled clashes between the population and the Turkish army," said Hoshyar Zebari, a top official of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

"The Turkish army has no business there," an official with the Turkish Kurd Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) told AFP.

Iraqi Kurds said no Turkish troops had entered northern Iraq, while the British government said some had. The KDP's Zebari denied the incursion.

"I can confirm to you that not a single Turkish soldier entered our territory," Zebari, KDP external relations director, told a news conference, reported AFP.