Turkish prime minister says Syria operation has reached an end

Istanbul (dpa) - The Turkish military operation in northern Syria, ongoing since August, has reached its conclusion, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday."That is, Euphrates Shield has ended," Yildirim was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency, as per an interview with a local broadcaster. He added that from now on, any further military actions in Syria would be under a different name.He was speaking after a meeting of the national security council, which lasted about four hours. Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels launched Euphrates Shield last year, attacking the Islamic State group but also a Syrian Kurdish militia.The operation now controls about 2,000 square kilometres in northern Syria and no longer has a direct border with Islamic State forces. The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia is allied with the United States, which has indicated it is staunchly opposed to attacks on the group. The Kurds have also allowed Russian and Syrian government forces to set up operations on the edges of territory it governs.Yildirim did not mention anything about force withdrawals. Turkey has begun to move Syrian refugees and displaced people into the Euphrates Shield territory and is offering services to people.