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Erdogan Hopes to Crush Kurdish Militia East of Euphrates in Syria Soon

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Ankara will take action to crush Kurdish militia forces east of the Euphrates river in Syria in the near future, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated.
Sputnik

"Hopefully very soon, we will destroy terror nests east of Euphrates with your help," Erdogan said addressing Turkey's special forces, according to the NTV broadcaster.

The Syrian region east of the Euphrates is controlled by the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which is regarded by Ankara as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey.

Turkey's Operation in Syria

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Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds intensified in July 2015 when a ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK failed over a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by the PKK members.

Prior to that, in March, Ankara announced that Afrin was under complete control of its forces as a result of the Ankara's military's advance in the area dubbed Olive Branch.

The operation has been launched by Turkey and the Free Syrian Army opposition forces on January 20 in Syria's Afrin to "clear" Turkey's Syrian border of YPG militia.

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After Ankara gained a control of Afrin, it is involved in anti-PKK raids across the country and in northern Iraq.

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