Ankara said on Tuesday it had completed preparations for a military operation in northeast Syria after the US began pulling back troops, opening the way for a Turkish attack on Kurdish-led forces long allied to Washington, Reuters reported.
US President Donald Trump warned he would “obliterate” the NATO ally’s economy if it took action in Syria that he considered “off limits.”
The US withdrawal will leave its Kurdish-led partner forces in Syria vulnerable to an incursion by the Turkish armed forces, which brands them terrorists.
The Turkish Defense Ministry tweeted on Tuesday it “will never tolerate the establishment of a terror corridor on our borders.” It is “essential to establish a safe zone/peace corridor to contribute to our region’s peace and stability, and for Syrians to achieve a safe life,” it added.