Turkey increases pressure over issues with Syria safe zone amid talks with US

Turkey will never allow the implementation of a safe zone in Syria that will turn into "a swamp" like in northern Iraq, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, referring to an area where Kurdish militants have operations. Speaking at an event in Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey would work with anyone willing to provide it with logistic support for the planned safe zone, but added that it would take steps in Syria if promises made to Ankara weren't kept.

U.S. President Donald Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision last month to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. Since then, Trump and Erdogan have discussed a safe zone which Turkey would set up in Syria along the length of their border.

(With inputs from agencies.)