Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey, October 30, 2018. (Reuters photo)
ANKARA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will soon launch large-scale operations against Kurdish militants' presence east of the Euphrates River in Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.
Speaking to parliamentary group of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the president said that Turkey have finished preparations for the military operations, which aim at "destroying the terror organization in the east of Euphrates."
Ankara considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) as a terrorist organization affiliated to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) banned in Turkey.
Turkish army has started active intervention against YPG in the area and will launch more extensive operations soon, the president added.
According to state-run Anadolu Agency, Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) on Sunday targeted YPG positions on the eastern banks of the Euphrates with artillery shells.
Earlier this year, Turkey carried out Operation Olive Branch to seize control of Syria's Afrin region from the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. The YPG also controls the Syrian region east of the Euphrates.
