ANKARA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has grown "frustrated" over the U.S. unwillingness to create a safe zone in northern Syria and will carry out air and ground operations to "establish peace there," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday.
"Turkey saw that land and air patrols conducted with the U.S. were nothing but a tale. We carried out preparations and we've made our plans for the safe zone (in Syria) and gave necessary orders. We will carry out this operation both on land and air as soon as today or tomorrow," Erdogan said during a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party.
Turkey aims to establish peace in the east of the Euphrates River in Syria after clearing the region of "terrorists," referring to the U.S.-supported Syrian Kurdish faction of the People's Protection Units (YPG), the Turkish leader indicated.
The news comes as Washington and Ankara, two major NATO allies, are working together to establish a safe zone in northern Syria, however, Turkey repeatedly complained that the American side is stalling the process.
According to Turkey, the YPG is the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party listed as a terrorist movement by the U.S., the European Union and Turkey.
The deal brokered between Turkish and U.S. military officials in early August also plans a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return to their homeland.
