Turkey holds security meeting amid speculation that military may occupy parts of Syria

FILE-In this Monday, June 15, 2015 file photo taken from the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Syria, Turkish soldiers run to their new positions next to the border fence in Akcakale, southeastern Turkey. As Kurdish rebels in northern Syrian rack up wins against the Islamic State group, Turkey’s press is once again abuzz with talk of plans for a long-debated intervention aimed at pushing the radical religious group back from its border, and outflanking any Kurdish attempt at creating a state along Turkey’s southern frontier. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, file) (The Associated Press)

FILE-In this Monday, June 15, 2015 file photo taken from the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Syria, in Akcakale, southeastern Turkey, a Turkish army soldier guards the border area with Syria as in the background Syrian refugees wait in order to cross into Turkey. As Kurdish rebels in northern Syrian rack up wins against the Islamic State group, Turkey’s press is once again abuzz with talk of plans for a long-debated intervention aimed at pushing the radical religious group back from its border, and outflanking any Kurdish attempt at creating a state along Turkey’s southern frontier. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, file) (The Associated Press)

FILE-In this Monday, June 15, 2015 file photo taken from the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Syria, in Akcakale, southeastern Turkey, showing a Turkish soldier walking by the border fence with Syria while in the background, Kurdish fighters, top right, advance, as civilians, top left, flee the outskirts of Tal Abyad, Syria. As Kurdish rebels in northern Syrian rack up wins against the Islamic State group, Turkey’s press is once again abuzz with talk of plans for a long-debated intervention aimed at pushing the radical religious group back from its border, and outflanking any Kurdish attempt at creating a state along Turkey’s southern frontier. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, file) (The Associated Press)

Turkey is holding a security meeting amid reports that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pushing for the creation of a buffer zone along the Turkish border with Syria.

Erdogan is chairing a regular National Security Council meeting on Monday, days after he vowed to prevent the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Syria following advances by Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State group militants.

The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said the military had been instructed to prepare to take a 110-kilometer long and 33-kilometer deep buffer along the Turkish border to prevent advances by both IS and the Kurds.

There has been no confirmation of the reports.

Turkey has unsuccessfully pressed the United States to enforce a safe area and a no-fly zone in Syria.