ISTANBUL, October 18. /TASS/. Turkey will resume Operation Peace Spring in Syria if its agreement with the US concerning Kurdish forces fails to be implemented, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a press conference in Istanbul on Friday.

"If the US fulfills its promises by Tuesday night, the issue will be solved. If not, Operation Peace Spring will resume with even more resolve," he pointed out.

The Turkish leader added that Ankara would not withdraw troops from the areas in northern Syria that they had seized during the operation.

US-Turkey agreement

On October 9, Ankara announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria. The operation’s goal is said to be creation of a buffer zone along the Turkish border, where, according to Ankara, Syrian refugees residing in Turkey could return. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) slammed the operation as aggression. The international community condemned Ankara’s move.

On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US Vice President Michael Pence held talks in Ankara. Pence said following the meeting that the parties had agreed on a pause in the Turkish offensive in northern Syria to give Kurdish units a chance to leave the border safe zone that Ankara is creating. "The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the safe zone within 120 hours. Operation Peace Spring will be halted upon completion of this withdrawal," the agreement reads.