Northern Syria discussed at high-level meeting

A high-level security meeting was held in Ankara Wednesday under the leadership of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, reportedly to discuss the situation in northern Syria and Turkey's possible offensive there.

The one-and-a-half-hour meeting was held at the Çankaya Prime Ministry Office and was attended by Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) head Hakan Fidan, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Fuat Oktay and Customs and Trade Minister Bülent Tüfenkçi.

While fighting against terrorist groups was the main agenda item, the fight against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in Turkey and the PKK in northern Iraq were discussed. The latest developments regarding the Afrin and Idlib provinces in northern Syria were also reportedly on the table. Previously, Turkish officials signaled a new offensive in northern Syria, particularly in the Afrin region, to completely eradicate the People's Protection Units (YPG) threat on the border.