Turkey will set up a dozen observation posts across northeast Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, insisting that a planned "safe zone" will extend much farther than US officials said was covered under a fragile ceasefire deal.

Turkey plans presence across northeast Syria, says Erdogan

The Syrian army has sent troops to "confront the Turkish aggression" in the north of the country where Ankara is battling Kurdish-led forces, the state news agency SANA said Sunday.

Syria troops sent north to 'confront' Turkey attack: State media

Turkey has launched a long-threatened military operation in northeast Syria to remove Kurdish-led forces from the border area and create a "safe zone" to resettle millions of Syrian refugees.

Smoke seen rising across Syrian border

US-backed, Kurdish-led forces are on the verge of eliminating Islamic State militants' last remaining enclave in Syria near the border with Iraq after a four-month devastating bombing campaign that has left hundreds of civilian casualties, residents and rebels said on Wednesday.

US-backed forces about to end Islamic State's last enclave in Syria