BRUSSELS: NATO Secretary- General Jens Stoltenberg said that member state Turkey had a right to act in self-defense as Ankara presses a military operation against Kurdish-held positions in northern Syria.
鈥淎ll nations have the right to defend themselves, but this has to be done in a proportionate and measured way,鈥� Stoltenberg said in a statement issued by his office.
Turkey launched an offensive against the Kurdish YPG (people鈥檚 protection units) militia on Saturday in their enclave of Afrin, supporting Syrian opposition with airstrikes and ground troops.
The assault has raised fears among NATO member states that the fight against extremists in Syria might be impacted by Turkey鈥檚 push.
鈥淭urkey has also briefed allies at NATO this week on their operation in northern Syria,鈥� Stoltenberg said.
鈥淭urkey is one of the NATO nations that suffers the most from terrorism.鈥�
The NATO chief added that the alliance was providing air defense support for Turkey 鈥渁gainst missiles fired from Syria鈥� but stressed it had no forces on the ground in the nation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threatened to expand the offensive and vowed to 鈥渃lean up鈥� the Syrian city of Manbij.
Erdogan vowed in a speech in Ankara that Turkey would 鈥渃ontinue our fight until there is no terrorist on our border.鈥�
He said the operation would last until 鈥渨e reach our goals,鈥� adding: 鈥淎fterwards we will, as promised, clean up Manbij of terrorists.鈥�
But Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday insisted Turkey was not intending to occupy Afrin and would return the region to its 鈥渞eal鈥� owners.
According to Anthony Skinner, director of MENA at global risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, 鈥渄irect military conflict鈥� between Turkish and US forces is possible because of Erdogan鈥檚 threats to expand the campaign to Manbij.
鈥淭urkish-US relations are teetering on the brink of a precipice,鈥� Skinner added.
The EU has also expressed concern over the Turkish intervention in Syria, which is further complicating the war that has claimed more than 340,000 lives since 2011.