Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned on Tuesday that his country will carry out a cross-border operation in northeastern Syria against the Kurdish YPG (People’s Protection Units) militia if the group does not meet Ankara’s demands.

The Turkish diplomatic chief noted that Syria’s new leadership will have to address the problem.

Turkey considers the YPG – the main component of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – an organization linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

In the recent past, it has carried out several military operations against it.

Speaking to CNN Turk television station, Fidan also said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has instructed Turkish soldiers to take over the management of prisons and camps in northeastern Syria where Islamic State members are being held if the new Syrian leadership is unable to do so itself. Currently, the management of these prisons and camps is in the hands of the SDF.