Erdogan: Turkey does not seek to seize Manbij

Turkey does not seek to seize Manbij, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group.

Erdogan expressed skepticism over reports that the Syrian regime had made an agreement with the SDF over Syria's Manbij province.

Turkey and Russia already have an agreement over Manbij, he said, adding that Turkey wants to give back the northern Syrian territories to the millions of Syrians living in Turkey.

According to Erdogan, Turkey has cleared 1,220 square kilometers of terrorists since the operation was launched, Anadolu Agency reported.

On October 9, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria, which began with airstrikes on Kurdish positions. The operation’s goal is to create a buffer zone along the Turkish border, where, according to Ankara, Syrian refugees residing in Turkey could return.