France not planning any military operations in Syria: source
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the ,Artificial Intelligence for Humanity, event in Paris on March 29, 2018. (AFP Photo)


France does not anticipate any new military operations in northern Syria beyond international coalition activities against Daesh, an Elysee source said Friday.

The source added that France sees risk of resurgence by Daesh terrorists in northeast Syria.

The statement came amid reports that France promised to send troops to Manbij to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after a meeting with Macron Thursday.

The French presidency statement had earlier said that Macron hopes "a dialogue can be established between the SDF and Turkey with help from France and the international community."

Recalling the commitment of his country against the PKK terror group and its commitment to Turkey's security, the French leader also claimed the SDF had "no operational link" with the PKK.

However, as Turkey has documented, the U.S.-backed umbrella group Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is dominated by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed group People's Protection Unit (YPG), are the Syrian offshoots of the PKK, recognized by Turkey, France, and the EU as a terror group.

In its 30-year terrorist campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken some 40,000 lives, and Ankara has warned against international actors cooperating with such groups as the PYD/PKK, YPG/PKK, and SDF/PKK, as they are just the PKK under different names.