Turkey condemns U.S plans to build new Syrian border security force

Jan. 14 (UPI) -- A spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the U.S.-led coalition's plans to train a border security force in northern Syria.

The U.S.-led coalition is working with its Syrian militia allies to set up a new Syrian Border Security Force with 30,000 members from the Syrian Democratic Forces army, led by the People's Protection Units or YPG.

Turkey considers the YPG and Syria's Democratic Union Party, or PYD, as terror groups.

Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkey will continue to take necessary measures to ensure its security in line with national interests.

"The United States is making concerning threats by attempting to legitimize and solidify the PYD terror group while it instead should cease the support," Kalin said.

Erdogan said Turkish forces will "continue our operations in Afrin to clear our southern border" of terrorists in the coming days, signaling a possible attack on a Kurdish stronghold in northwest Syria.

The Turkish president said he is awaiting backing from allies ahead of Turkey's National Security Council on Wednesday, which advises the military.