Turkey's preparations and deployments for its planned military offensive in northeastern Syria are continuing, broadcaster NTV cited Defence Minister Hulusi Akar as saying on Wednesday.
Turkish officials told Reuters on Wednesday that a planned Turkish incursion into northeast Syria has not begun, but final preparations are being made and the deployment of troops and equipment has been completed.
Turkish soldiers with heavy equipment have removed a concrete section of the border wall, one of the officials said after media reports said that Turkish troops were crossing into Syria.
Earlier, an aide to President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies would cross the Syrian border "shortly" after a withdrawal of U.S. troops made way for the incursion. It was not clear where Akar was speaking.
