Turkey will maintain military presence in Syria: army
The Turkish army said Friday it will keep a military presence in Syria despite officially ending its offensive in the country's north against the Islamic State jihadists. "Our activities continue for the protection of our national security, to prevent any undesirable entity, to allow our displaced Syrian brothers and sisters to return to their country, and to ensure security and stability in the region," the military said. The completion of the operation dubbed "Euphrates Shield" had been announced by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Wednesday, who nevertheless did not rule out new military campaigns inside Syria.