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21:48 GMT
ANKARA, Nov 27 (KUNA) -- Turkey's Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Monday that a military raid is imminent on Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) members in Syria's northern city of Afrin.
Ankara also plans to increase its monitoring centres in northern Syria's reduction of tension zones from three to 12, carrying out a pledge it made at earlier talks with Russia and Iran in Astana, Anadolu news agency quoted Canikli as saying.
The concluded talks at the Kazakh capital are not a substitute for the UN-meditated talks on the matter, underlined the minister, but came to support the Geneva discussions.
President Recep Erdogan had earlier stated that Turkey would rid the cities of Afrin and Manbij of PYD control and deliver the areas back to their original inhabitants. (end)
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