Turkey rules out risk of 'US clash' in Syria operation

ISTANBUL: Turkey on Sunday ruled out the risk of a clash with American forces in its operation in Syria, saying there were no US troops in the area where the campaign was taking place.

Turkey on Saturday launched operation "Olive Branch" seeking to oust from the Afrin region of northern Syria the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara considers a terror group.

But the campaign risks further increasing tensions with Turkey's NATO ally the United States -- which has used the YPG in the fight against Islamic State jihadists.

"US officials declared that there has been no American military or American soldiers in the region," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters in Istanbul.

"It is out of the question to have a direct clash between Turkey and the US in the region," he added.

Afrin is an enclave of YPG control, cut off from the longer strip of northern Syria that the group controls to the east extending to the Iraqi border, where there is an American presence.

Turkey has repeatedly been incensed by images from northern Syria showing US soldiers working closely with YPG forces.

There was no immediate comment from the United States on the offensive but ahead of its launch a senior State Department official had raised concerns it risked being harmful for security in the region.

"Turkey has used its right under international law," said Bozdag, who is the top government spokesman, refusing to be drawn on how long the operation would take.

"We have predictions but we know the force of the terrorists there, their logistics and infrastructure," he said, refusing to provide a precise time.

He added that the operation "is not taking aim at the Kurds... to the contrary, it is aimed at saving the Kurds from the threat and oppression of terror groups."

"Our ultimate goal is to enforce democratic institutions in the region and leave the region to its real owners," he added.