Türkiye is in talks with Russia to use the airspace above northern Syria for a potential cross-border operation against the YPG/PKK terror group, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday.
The Turkish army has carried out several incursions into northern Syria against the YPG/PKK and has been planning a possible cross-border operation for months. It stepped up preparations last month after a deadly bomb attack carried out by bloody-minded YPG/PKK militants in Istanbul.
The Turkish Armed Forces launched air strikes against YPG targets in November and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signalled a possible ground offensive.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Akar said Ankara was in talks with Moscow, which supports the Bashar al-Assad regime, about the operation.
"We are in talks and discussing with Russia about all issues including opening the airspace," he said.
Ankara views the YPG militia, the leading presence in the SDF, as the Syrian wing of the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union.
Washington's support for the YPG in the so-called fight against Daesh [known also as ISIS] has infuriated Ankara, causing a major rift between the NATO allies.
