Erdogan Issues 'Final Warning' on East of Euphrates

Speaking to a group of provincial leaders from his AK Party in Ankara on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed two key issues: the ongoing conflict in Syria and the killing of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

During the Friday speech in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had issued a "final warning" on Syria, stressing that "we will eliminate the threat towards Turkey" and will not allow activities that endanger the country's borders.

READ MORE: Jamal Khashoggi's Secret Interview Released as His Death Confirmed

Erdogan then stated that the east of the Euphrates would be cleared of terrorists and returned to its rightful owners, adding that Ankara would focus its attention on Syrian Kurdish fighters east of the river, rather than the Manbij area.

President Erdogan further stated that the agreement between Ankara and Moscow on Syria's Idlib was being fulfilled without any trouble.

“We, together with Russia and Iran have developed a formula that takes into account the interests of all parties," he said, adding that there have been multiple negotiations, and the sides eventually reached a "logical conclusion" in Sochi and Tehran. "As a result, there are no problems with Idlib now,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan's remarks come ahead of a summit on Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, which will be held on October 27 in Istanbul.

Khashoggi Case

Addressing the murder of The Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi, at the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul, the Turkish president called on Saudi Arabia to disclose the whereabouts of the journalist's body, claiming that Ankara had more evidence on the case. Erdogan previously claimed that he had more information on the murder, however didn't provide any.

"They have arrested 18 people, and they know exactly who killed the journalist. That is what should be announced. It is also necessary to name a local accomplice. Who gave the order to a team of 15 people? And where is the body? It needs to be explained. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s attorney general will arrive in Turkey and meet with our prosecutors," he said.

Earlier this week, leader of Turkey's Patriotic Party (VATAN) Dogu Perincek told Sputnik, citing security sources, that the body of the slain journalist had been discovered in a well at the residence of the Saudi consul general in Istanbul.

Once the claims emerged, Saudi authorities allowed Turkish police to inspect the well as part of an investigation, NTV reported Wednesday, citing an investigative source.

The death of Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, was confirmed by the Saudi prosecutor-general after weeks of speculation and reports that the journalist could have been killed in the building.