Erdogan: Turkey to start military operation east of Euphrates in days

Turkey will launch an operation in the east of Euphrates, Syria in a few days to save it from separatist "terrorist" organization, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

"We expressed that we will launch an operation in east of Euphrates in a few days to save it from a separatist terrorist organization," Erdogan said at the Turkish Defense Industry Summit.

Erdogan added Turkey's target has never been US soldiers, but rather members of terror group.

"It is clear that the purpose of US observation points is not to protect our country from terrorists but to protect terrorists from Turkey," Erdogan said.

A possible mission east of the Euphrates, which Turkey’s leadership has been suggesting for months, would follow two successful cross-border Turkish operations into Syria -- Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch – which were both meant to eradicate the presence of YPG/PKK and ISIS terrorists near Turkey’s borders.