Europe

Turkey denies cease-fire deal with Kurdish rebels in Syria

Associated Press
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A Turkish tank is stationed near the Syrian border, in Karkamis, Turkey, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. Turkey's state-run news agency says three rockets fired from Syria have hit Turkish border town of Kilis, injuring five children, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will press ahead with its military operations in Syria until the Islamic State group and Kurdish militants no longer pose a security threat. Erdogan said Turkey was determined to take all steps necessary both inside Turkey and abroad to protect Turkish citizens.(Ismail Coskun/IHA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Turkish tanks head towards the Syrian border, in Karkamis, Turkey, Wednesday Aug. 31, 2016. Turkey on Wednesday dismissed reports of a cease-fire deal with Kurdish rebels in northern Syria, and vowed to continue its week-old military incursion into the neighboring country until all "terror entities are eliminated." Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Wednesday that military "operations will continue until all terrorist elements have been neutralized, until all threats to our borders, our lands and our citizens are completely over. " (Ismail Coskun, IHA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim waves a helmet as he addresses a rally in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday Aug. 31, 2016. Turkey on Wednesday dismissed reports of a cease-fire deal with Kurdish rebels in northern Syria, and vowed to continue its week-old military incursion into the neighboring country until all "terror entities are eliminated." Yildirim said Wednesday that military "operations will continue until all terrorist elements have been neutralized, until all threats to our borders, our lands and our citizens are completely over. " (Prime Minister's Press Service, Pool via AP) (The Associated Press)

Turkey's minister of European Union affairs dismisses claims that a cease-fire has been reached with Kurdish rebels in northern Syria.

In comments made to the state-run Anadolu news agency on Wednesday, EU Minister Omer Celik says, "Turkey is a sovereign state, it is a legitimate state. To suggest it is on a par with a terrorist organization and suggest there are talks between them, that a deal has been reached between them, this is unacceptable."

Turkey's incursion into Syria helped rebels take the border town of Jarablus from the Islamic State group last week, but clashes have since broken out between Turkish and Kurdish forces in the area.

The Kurdish-backed Jarablus Military Council said in a statement Tuesday it had agreed to a cease-fire following consultations with the U.S.-led coalition.