US-backed militants warn Erdogan of 'all-out war' in Syria
Tehran (KNA) - US-backed militants warn of an "all-out war" after President Tayyip Erdogan say Turkey will carry out an air and ground military operation in Syria as soon as Saturday or Sunday.
The so-called Syrian Democratic Forces said on Saturday it would "not hesitate to turn any unprovoked (Turkish) attack into an all-out war" in northeast Syria.
Erdogan said earlier his country will launch the air and ground operation east of the Euphrates in Syria after a deadline to jointly establish a so-called safe zone with the US passed.
"We gave all warnings to our interlocutors regarding the east of Euphrates and we have acted with sufficient patience," Erdogan said at the opening of his AK Party's annual camp on Saturday.
"We've made our preparations, we've made our operation plans, given the necessary instructions," he added.
According to Erdogan, the military operation will begin "as soon as today or tomorrow".
On Tuesday, he said Ankara's patience with the US over the creation of the "safe zone" had run out.
Turkey, he said, had no choice but to act alone to push back militants from the so-called Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from border areas, given the lack of progress made with the US.
Source: PressTV