Turkish FM : Operation in Syria will continue in 35 hours if the Kurdish forces do not withdraw

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said operation in Syria would continue in 35 hours if the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces did not withdraw from the "safe zone", Turkish media has reported.

"We have 35 hours left. If they don't withdraw, our operation will resume. This is also what we agreed with the Americans," Mevlut Cavusoglu said in his opening speech at the TRT World Forum which kicked off in Istanbul.

"If all the YPG/PKK elements withdraw from this region, we can halt the operation," he said.

Turkey on October 9 launched Operation Peace Spring in Syria. On Oct. 17, Turkey agreed to pause the Syria operation for 120 hours to allow the withdrawal of Kurdish forces from the planned safe zone.