The Turkish army commander told his Russian and US counterparts about a military operation launched by the Turkish army in the Syrian city of Afrin on Saturday before it was carried out, Turkish NTV television reported.
In the same vein, Turkish Foreign Minister Mouloud Javishoglu also held a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Rex Tillerson at the request of Washington following the announcement of the Turkish air strikes, a Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
Earlier in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the military operation in the Syrian city of Afrin began “actively”.
Turkey insists on ensuring its national security and clearing its borders from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which Ankara is preparing for the Syrian branch of the PKK.
Turkish warplanes continued to bomb the positions of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units in Afrin today after days of cross-border shelling.
The Turkish army said the operation was called “olive branch” and began at 5 pm local time (14.00 GMT).
