Turkey will inform all relevant countries and the Syrian government about its operation in northeastern Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said.
The minister defended his country's right to launch an operation in northeastern Syria.
#BREAKING Operation in northern Syria is our right under UN resolutions, international law, says Turkish foreign minister
— ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) October 9, 2019
Speaking at a news conference, Cavusoglu said that the only target of the operation is Kurdish militants in the region.
Earlier, Turkish President Erdogan's communications director, Fahrettin Altun, said that "the Turkish military, together with the Free Syrian Army, would cross the border shortly". He did not specify, however, a concrete timeframe for the incursion.
On Tuesday, Turkey said that all preparations for a military operation in northeastern Syria were complete. Ankara says the operation is essential to oust Kurdish militants from the region and establish a "safe zone" to accommodate Syrian refugees.
