Turkey will start a military operation east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria in a "few days," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.
"It is time to realize our decision to wipe out terror groups east of the Euphrates," Erdoğan said in a speech at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit held at the presidential complex in Ankara on Dec. 12.
The Pentagon had announced on Dec. 11 that American observation posts in northern Syria, meant to prevent altercations between the Turkish army and US-supported YPG, have been erected, despite Ankara’s request to scrap the move.
"There is no Daesh threat in Syria any longer," Erdoğan said Dec. 12, accusing the U.S. of "delaying tactics" regarding its promise to clear the northeastern Syrian town of Manbij from YPG members.
"It is clear that the purpose of U.S. observation points in Syria is not to protect our country from terrorists but protect terrorists from Turkey," he noted.
“We do not see them as well-intentioned approaches," the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesman Ömer Çelik said Dec. 11, referring to the reported U.S. plan. He added that the move will be seen by Turkey as "lending fresh support to terror elements in Syria."
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford had said on Dec. 7 that the U.S. needs to train and equip around 40,000 local fighters to "provide stability" in Syria.