Turkish minister: Syria's Manbij operation to start at right time

Turkey’s counter-terrorist operation in Syria's Manbij will start at the right time, Turkey’s defense minister Hulusi Akar said.

"The current Syrian problem areas are Manbij and east of the Euphrates; our plans, preparations and logistics are completed," the minister said.

"The operations in Manbij and east of the Euphrates will start when the right time comes,” Anadolu Agency cited him as saying.

"We have no problems with our Kurdish brothers or Arab brothers in Syria and Iraq. Our only targets are the terrorist ISIS and PKK/YPG," Akar added, stressing that Turkey will never allow a terrorist state or terror corridor at its southern border.