The Turkish military and Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters on January 20 launched Operation Olive Branch in the Afrin against the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and took the control of the region in March.

Speaking to Deutsche Welle, Akdag said Ankara has no plan to stay in Afrin, underlined that “their target is security of Turkey against YPG, armed wing of the PYD, kind of terrorist Kurdish groups and return the region to Syrian people soon.”

The United States in Mach said some 140,000 people have been displaced by Turkey’s cross-border offensive to seize Syria’s Afrin district from Syrian Kurdish forces, adding that Washington has concerns about the resulting humanitarian situation, Turkish Minute reported.

Erdogan on Oct. 8 said Turkey would not allow a Kurdish corridor in Syria extending along the Turkish border to the Mediterranean.

Reporter’s code: 50101