Sputnik- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced his intention to discuss with US President-elect Donald Trump the establishment of a security zone in northern Syria once Trump takes office.

ANKARA (Sputnik)�� According to�Erdogan, Ankara would be capable of�keeping the zone free of�any terrorists' establishments. "I constantly state the need for�a Syrian security zone, liberated from�terrorists.

We told the United States, Russia and Iran about�it. I openly declare that Ankara will create a security zone in�northern Syria, and will not allow a terrorist statehood in�the area. On January 20, the new president will start working in�the United States. We will discuss this with�him," Erdogan said. He added that Turkey was ready to�negotiate with�the United States a joint operation on�the liberation of�Syrian Raqqa from�Daesh militants.

On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by�US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed the Euphrates Shield to�clear the Syrian border town of�Jarabulus and the surrounding area of�Daesh terrorist organization, which is outlawed in�Russia. As Jarabulus was retaken, the joint forces of�Ankara, the coalition and Syrian rebels continued the offensive southwest.

The operation has been widely criticized both by�the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of�violating Syria's territorial integrity.