Turkey is resolutely continuing its fight against terrorism in Syria, as it has been doing since the administration of US President Barack Obama, and its warnings that it may one day suddenly invade that country are not in vain.

This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a speech to journalists on the plane returning from a visit to Ukraine yesterday, reported the private Turkish television station NTV.

"It is not in vain that we say 'we may come suddenly one night' (in Syria, ed.). This will be done when the time comes," Erdogan said, adding that no one should question the readiness for Ankara to take action.

He again accused the US of supporting Kurdish fighters in Syria, whom Turkey considers terrorists.

Cavusoglu: Turkey does not ask for permission to intervene in Syria

"It is the US and coalition forces that are fueling terrorism in Syria in the first place; they have done so relentlessly and continue to do so," he said, referring to US support for the Kurdish militia the People's Protection Units (YPG).

Erdogan stressed that Ankara has no appetite for Syria and that the territorial integrity of that country is important to Turkey.

"We do not look at the territory of Syria, because the Syrian people are our brothers. We have no such problem there. The integrity of their territory is important to us. The regime must be aware of this," he noted.

Erdogan said that Ankara takes responsibility for solving the Syrian problem for the sake of regional peace and to protect Turkey from threats. 

Asked if a reconciliation process between Ankara and Damascus would begin, Erdogan said "political dialogue or diplomacy between countries can never be interrupted" and stressed the need to ensure further steps.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey and Syria