°®Âþµº

Skip to main content

Turkey to launch military incursion to create 'safe zones'

Erdogan threatens new Turkish military operations to create 'safe zones' from northern Syria
MENA
1 min read
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country is planning new military operations that seek to create 'safe zones' from conflict in northern Syria.
Erdogan said: 'The main target of these operations will be areas which are centres of attacks to our country' [source: Getty]

said on Monday would soon launch new military operations along its southern borders to create 30-km deep safe zones to combat threats from these regions.

"The main target of these operations will be areas which are centers of attacks to our country and safe zones," Erdogan said, without elaborating.

Erdogan said the operations would be launched as soon as military, intelligence and security forces have completed their preparations.

MENA
Live Story

The operation will likely target where Turkey has launched several military operations since 2016 to undermine the Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG), an armed Syrian offshoot of the

The YPG also helped form the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Kurdish-led coalition that the United States has greatly relied on to fight the since 2014.

Erdogan's statement came amid Turkey's objections on members, accusing them of harbouring individuals linked to the PKK group and followers of a cleric Turkey accuses of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016.