Turkish troops to enter east of Euphrates 'very soon'

By Mehmet Tosun

MUS, Turkey (AA) - Turkish land troops are expected to enter east of the Euphrates River very soon, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

"I hope no one will try to test Turkey's determination to clear its Syrian borders of terrorists," Erdogan said, speaking at an event in the eastern city of Mus to mark the 948th anniversary of Battle of Malazgirt.

Erdogan also warned of any stalling east of the Euphrates River, saying that Turkey is "fully prepared to realize its plans".

Referring to the establishment of the safe zone in Syria, Erdogan said: "The complication of plans in the region and the abundance of treacherous traps will never hinder our path."

Since 2016, Turkey has conducted two major military operations in northwestern Syria -- Operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch -- to purge the region of terrorist groups Daesh and the YPG, which is the Syrian branch of the terrorist organization PKK.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev