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Turkey warns of pro-Syrian regime forces' deployment in Afrin

ANKARA, Feb 19 (KUNA) -- Turkey Monday warned against "severe consequences" if forces loyal to the Syrian regime were deployed in Afrin to provided protection for Kurdish militants in the northwestern Syrian city.
Reports about pro-Syrian regime forces' plans to enter Afrin are "unrealistic," Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag told a news conference following a government meeting in Ankara.
He said the Turkish forces eliminated 1,651 "terrorists" since the launch of military operations in Afrin on January 20.
Syrian official news agency, Sana, reported earlier today pro-regime troops would arrive in Afrin to confront the Turkish forces.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reacted and said Ankara did not oppose the Syrian government forces' deployment in Afrin. "But if the deployment is to protect the YPG and PKK then there is no one that can stop the Turkish army," he asserted.
The Turkish army's operation Olive Branch aimed at cracking down on Kurdish militants and so-called Islamic State (IS) in Afrin. (end) rs.bs