Turkey Wants to Destroy Terror Corridor

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is determined to destroy what he called a "terror corridor" in northern Syrian regardless of whether or not Turkey and the United States agree on the establishment of a safe zone.

Turkish and U.S. officials have been holding talks for a safe zone east of the river Euphrates to address Turkey's security concerns stemming from the presence of Kurdish fighters in the region, which Turkey considers as terrorists. Turkey has warned of a possible new offensive into Syria if no agreement is reached.

Erdogan said Friday such an incursion would cut contact between Kurdish militants in Syria and Iraq.

He also said Turkey had caught or killed all suspects behind the killing of a Turkish diplomat last week in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

(KR)