DAMASCUS, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- A state of alert and military movements were witnessed Tuesday by the Turkish and the Kurdish forces amid Turkish threats of a military action in eastern Syria, the latest escalation between Turkey and the Kurdish forces in northern Syria, according to a war monitor.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there is a state of alert by Turkish forces on the Turkish side of the border as well as on the Syrian side in the eastern bank of Euphrates River.
It said the military movement and alert come following recent remarks of Turkey to launch a military campaign against the Kurdish-led militia in the eastern countryside of the Deir al-Zour province.
The Britain-based watchdog group said the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are amassing forces near the borderline to beware of any surprise attack by the Turkish side.
In his remarks last Wednesday, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "it is time to realize our decision to wipe out terror groups in the east of Euphrates."
"We will start the operation to clear the east of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days," Erdogan said, referring to the territory held by the Kurdish militia groups.
The Kurdish self-administration in northern Syria issued a statement last Thursday, calling for mass mobilization in areas under its control and urged the Syrian government to take a stance against the remarks of Erdogan.
