Turkey to rid northern Syria of PKK

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday said the PKK, and its Syrian offshoot YPG, are targeting Turkey and Ankara is not going to watch the developments as a mere spectator.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference in Turkey's capital Ankara with Denis Moncada Colindres, the minister of foreign affairs of Nicaragua.

“Turkey will do whatever it takes to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria,” Cavusoglu said, referring to the YPG/PKK, which repeatedly targets Turkish forces in the region.

"In the latest attacks... both Russia and the U.S. have a responsibility as they did not keep their promises," Cavusoglu said. "Since they are not keeping their promises, we will do what is necessary for our security," he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday that Turkey was determined to eliminate threats originating in northern Syria, and added that the YPG killing two Turkish police officers in a terrorist attack was "the final straw."

"We have no patience left regarding some regions in Syria which have the potential of being used for attacks on our country," Erdoğan said in a news conference following a Cabinet meeting.

"We are determined to eliminate the threats originating from here either with forces active there or by our own means," he added.

"The latest attack on our police and harassment that targets our soil are the final straw," Erdoğan said.