UPDATE - 'Turkey ready for operations on east Euphrates'

UPDATE WITH MORE REMARKS

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that they have finished preparations for operations on the eastern side of Euphrates River.

"We will trample on terror groups with more effective operations," Erdogan told his Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group.

He said that Turkey would bring down all terror nests on the eastern side of Euphrates. "We have finished all our preparations, plans, program regarding the issue," he added.

He said that Turkey cannot "look to the future with confidence without solving the Syrian issue".

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.

The powers using terror groups as tools to reach their goals are trying to revive Daesh in Syria, Erdogan warned.

But, he said, Turkey would never allow them to drag Syria into chaos and bloodshed by inciting the regime or reviving Daesh in the region.

"Neither people in the region nor the world believe in the Daesh game," said Erdogan.

More than 300 people lost their lives in Daesh-claimed attacks in Turkey, where the terror organization has targeted civilians in suicide bomb, rocket, and gun attacks in recent years.