The Turkish Defence Ministry said in a Twitter post that all preparations for a military operation in Syria had been completed.
The Ministry noted that the establishment of a safe zone (peace corridor) is essential to contribute to the "stability and peace of our region" and for Syrians to live in safety.
Bölgemizin istikrar ve huzuruna katkı sağlayarak Suriyelilerin güvenli bir yaşama kavuşabilmesi için Güvenli Bölge/Barış koridoru kurulması zaruridir. TSK, sınırlarımızda terör koridoru oluşturulmasına asla müsamaha göstermeyecektir. Harekât için tüm hazırlıklar tamamlanmıştır. pic.twitter.com/2tKfNUwnvf
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) October 7, 2019
Late on Monday, Turkey conducted airstrikes against the Samalka Syrian-Iraqi checkpoint, reportedly destroying two bridges. The strike was reportedly aimed at the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that control the Samalka checkpoint.
On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Ankara may launch a military operation (dubbed 'Operation Peace Fountain', according to the Washington Post) in Syria in the coming days to force Kurdish fighters to retreat from biorder areas.
Meanwhile, the White House said late on Sunday that US forces would not support the Turkish military operation and would withdraw from the area.
