Speaking to reporters on his flight from Germany to Austria, Cavusoglu said the anti-PKK operation may start after Iraq’s parliamentary elections scheduled for May 2018.

He was cited by broadcaster CNN Turk as saying the Afrin operation will last over three months and come to an end in May.

Turkey launched operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin, supporting Syrian opposition fighters with ground troops and air strikes.

Turkey resumed the shelling of suspected PKK positions inside the Kurdistan Region in July 2015 after a two-year ceasefire between the Turkish military and the PKK came to an end.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has continued for over 25 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

Reporter’s code: 50101