Turkish-backed Syrian rebels seize several villages from Islamic State

Ankara says it is clearing ISIS and protecting it from Kurdish militia expansion.

Turkey is concerned that Syrian Kurdish fighters could embolden Kurdish militants waging an insurgency on its soil.

TURKEY will treat Brits fighting alongside Kurdish groups in Syria as risky terrorists, a top government spokesman warned. Germany said it did not want to see a lasting Turkish presence in an already tangled conflict.

In the last few days the rebels have been moving quickly to clear the jihadists from the last stretch of the border under their control, backed by Turkish artillery and Turkish and coalition air strikes.

Although the United States supported Turkey’s onslaught in Syria against ISIS, it is alarmed by the country’s offensive against the Kurdish forces and has asked Ankara to exclusively focus its assault on the Islamic State.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated the importance of the operation for Turkey’s security on Friday during a press conference he held ahead of his official trip to China to attend the G20 Summit.

But Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organisation and said those caught fighting with them can expect no mercy.

Erdogan’s remarks appeared to be in reference to comments made by a USA defence official to AFP Monday that Kurdish forces had “all” moved east of the Euphrates.

He denied claims that the YPG, which Ankara calls a terrorist group, had withdrawn to a Kurdish-controlled canton to the east of the Euphrates river, a key Turkish demand.

Turkish-backed Syrian rebels seized several villages from Islamic State on Saturday near Turkey’s border with Syria, in further advances against the jihadist group, the insurgents and monitors said.

Turkey s operation against the YPG has raised tensions with Syrian Kurds in other areas.

While the YPG is allied with the USA against IS, the PKK is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the Washington.