Turkey plans Syria incursion as long as threat lingers

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says plans to launch a new military offensive in northern Syria will continue to be on the table as long as Kurdish militants continue to pose a security threat to his country. The Turkish leader also called on the United States to leave Syria, accusing the NATO ally of training and helping Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers to be terrorists. Erdogan made the comments late on Tuesday on his return from a visit to Tehran where he met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdogan threatened a new incursion to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along its border with Syria and enable the voluntary return of Syrians who have found refuge in Turkey