Sputnik- US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has previously urged Turkey not to engage in any invasion of Syria's Afrin.
According toTurkis DHA news agency, 20 buses withfighters fromthe Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army have crossed fromTurkish Kilis intoSyrian territory and are moving towardAzaz. However, no official confirmation has followed so far.
An operation inSyria's Afrin has started "de facto" withcross-border shelling, however, no troops have been deployed inthe city,Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said inan interview withthe Haberturk broadcaster.
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The minister noted that the operation was "right toself-defense inline withinternational law," adding that the country was conducting all necessary preparations forthe upcoming operation aimed atdestroying all "terrorist corridors."
Turkey is consulting withRussia tobring closer approaches tothe operation ofthe Turkish army inSyria's Afrin, the top official said, however, the Russian Defense Ministry has yet tocomment onthe situation.
"We are preparing foran operation inAfrin, we are taking the necessary steps forthis. We are coordinating withRussia and other interested countries ofthe region, their views should be brought closer toour position sincethis operation will ultimately be carried out," Canikli said.
High-Precision Weapons tobe Used inAfrin Op
The statement comes amida report bythe TurkishHaberturk newspaper, saying that the Turkish forces were planning touse high-precision weaponry duringthe military action.
According tothe media outlet, the Turkish Joint Staff has reviewed the plan ofthe operation, leaning towardthe strategy ofconducting combat inurban settings. Turkish forces are reportedly planning touse aviation and missiles withlaser aiming devices as, according tothecommand, the militants will carry outcombat fromorganized defensive positions inquarters ofthe town.
The newspaper further noted that the final decision onthe use ofthe Turkish Air Force would be based onthe results ofa meeting betweenTurkish Armed Forces generalHulusi Akar and his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov. If Russia gives its consent, Turkish aircraft will be able touse the entire airspace abovethe town. Otherwise, the Turkish military will have touse laser-guided missiles and UAVs.
'Terrorist Army'
Turkey has been threatening tolaunch an operation inAfrin sincelast week afterthe US announced its decision tostart training a border protection force composed ofthe the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which has been described byAnkara asa "terrorist army."
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said earlier this week that Ankara was holding consultations withMoscow and Washington overa possible operation inSyria's Afrin againstKurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a tobe associated withthe Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The minister further noted thatTurkey considered US claims onthe undesirability ofa military operation inSyria's Afrin "empty and senseless."
"We heard the assessment ofthe US State Department regarding the operation inAfrin. This is an empty and senseless claim, because the threat ofIS [Daesh] is over," Canikli told the broadcaster.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said earlier inthe day that Ankara would target the PKK, which is banned asa terrorist organization inTurkey, not the Kurds ingeneral.
Reaction
On Thursday, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert urged Turkey not toengage inany invasion ofSyria's Afrin.
The remark echoed a statement made byUS Secretary ofState RexTillerson, who also assured that the US had no intention tobuild a Syria-Turkey border force, saying the issue, which has incensed Ankara, had been "misportrayed."
However, according tothe Pentagon, despitethe fact that it is not a "new army,"Turkey's security concerns are "legitimate."
Damascus, inits turn, has vowed todestroy Turkish aircraft if they attack.
"We warn the Turkish leadership that if they initiate combat operations inthe Afrin area, that will be considered an act ofaggression bythe Turkish army," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad told reporters.
