Erdogan said that the operation in northern Syria would continue until the last pockets of the terrorists are cleared. He added that US President Donald Trump had given a positive response to Ankara's operation east of the Euphrates.
READ MORE: US Warns Syrian Opposition, FSA not to Back Turkey's Planned Op Against YPG
Two days ago Erdogan and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, discussed over the phone the future military operation in the east of Syria and agreed to coordinate military actions on the Turkish-Syrian border.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Washington was considering pulling its troops out of Syria. The US is yet to comment on the statement.
Earlier, US intelligence and diplomatic officials have urged the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SMDK) not to support the planned Turkish military operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) east of the Euphrates River.
The past several years have seen friction emerge between Turkey and the US due to Ankara's concerns over US support for the YPG, which Turkey views as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), blacklisted as a terrorist organisation in Turkey, the US and the EU.
Turkey has been claiming that the YPG's presence near its border hampers its national security.
*Daesh — a terrorist group, banned in numerous countries, including Russia
