Erdoğan says Turkish soldiers cleared 1000-km area in Syria's north

Turkey has cleared a 1000 square kilometer area of terror elements within the scope of Operation Peace Spring in Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday.

“As of this morning [Tuesday], we have liberated around 1,000 square kilometer area from occupation of the separatist terror group,” Erdogan told the 7th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.

He said Turkey aims to clear the area of terrorists from Manbij, Syria to the Iraqi-Turkish border and to provide voluntary resettlement of around 3 million Syrians to their home.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.