Less than a day after reaching a deal for a pause in Turkey's anti-terror push in northern Syria, reports of a clash between Turkish forces and YPG/PKK terrorists in the safe zone is nothing but disinformation, Turkey's president said on Friday.
Turkish security forces will not withdraw from northern Syria as part of the deal reached Thursday with the U.S., Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters on Friday afternoon.
"Our forces will continue to stay there so we will see whether this terrorist group is leaving the area or not," Erdoğan added.
On Turkey's 120-hour pause in the anti-terror operation, Erdoğan said: "During the 120-hour process, the YPG/PKK terrorist organization will withdraw from the region we have designated a safe zone."
The safe zone will cover 32 kilometers (20 miles) deep from Turkey's border and 444 km long (276 mi) from eastern to southern Syria.
Turkey and the U.S. came to an agreement on Thursday to pause Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria.
On Thursday, Erdoğan and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence agreed to the 120-hour pause in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the planned safe zone.
Erdoğan added that his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin set for next Tuesday is another phase of the safe zone process.
SYRIA OFFENSIVE TO CONTINUE IF TRUCE DEAL NOT FULLY IMPLEMENTED
Turkey will continue its offensive into northeast Syria more rapidly than before if an agreement with the United States to pause the operation and allow the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists is not fully implemented, Erdoğan also said in a statement.
Erdoğan told journalists that it was not a problem for Turkey if pro-Assad forces, backed by Russia, were to enter areas cleared of the YPG militants, adding that Ankara had no intention to stay in areas under its control in northern Syria.
He also said he had informed U.S. President Donald Trump about the offensive in a phone call a day before launching it. He added that "what is necessary will be done when the time is right" about a letter from Trump in which he told Erdoğan to not be a "fool" and "tough guy".
- FOUR TURKISH SOLDIERS MARTYRED DURING OPERATION PEACE SPRING
Erdoğan said that a total of four Turkish soldiers and 74 Syrian National Army members were martyred during the Operation Peace Spring.
He added that Turkish security forces neutralized nearly 750 YPG/PKK terrorists so far within the scope of the operation.
Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.
Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG/PKK.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
