Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised Friday to clear Syria of a US-backed Kurdish militia and ISIL militants after the US decision to pull troops out.

“In the next months we will see an operational style aimed at removing YPG (Kurdish People’s Protection Units) and ISIL elements on the ground in Syria,” Erdogan said in Istanbul.

In comments made at a speech in Istanbul, Erdogan welcomed Donald Trump’s troop withdrawal decision, calling it “the clearest and most encouraging statement” from Washington. He said however, that Turkey remained cautious citing “negative experiences of the past.”

Source: Agencies