“We are at the last stage of preparations for increasing the number of regions in Syria, where we have provided stability through ‘the Euphrates Shield’ and ‘the Olive Branch’ operations. With God's help, we will liberate new territories in the near future and bring security there,” Erdogan said, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
Turkish troops, in cooperation with Syrian opposition groups loyal to Ankara, have participated in a number of military operations in Syria, mostly against Kurdish militants.
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In January 2018 Ankara launched on operation in Afrin called Operation Olive Branch aimed to "clear" Turkey's Syrian border from the terrorist threat. Another operation dubbed Euphrates Shield was a 2016-2017 cross-border campaign which was, according to Ankara, aimed against terrorists allegedly threatening Turkish security. Damascus has condemned Turkey's military operations, saying they violate the Syrian sovereignty.