"We can start our operation any moment now in the Syrian territory at any place especially along the 500-kilometer border, without harming the US soldiers," the Turkish president said during a speech in the central province of Konya.

Erdogan said US President Donald Trump had given a positive response to Ankara’s plans for the operation in the area and that Turkey would do "what is necessary" regarding what he described as terror corridors east of the Euphrates.

"We talked to Trump. These terrorists have to leave areas east of the Euphrates. If they do not leave, we will dispatch them. Because they are disturbing us," he noted.

It is worth mentioning that Erdogan said last week that Turkish forces would launch a new cross-border operation against the People’s Protection Units (YPG) to the east of the Euphrates river in northeastern Syria, where some 2,000 US troops stand alongside the SDF. He said the target was not US soldiers.

The Pentagon warned that any unilateral military action would be “unacceptable”.

Reporter’s code: 50101