Turkey tells US it will take 'preventive measures' in Syria against YPG, Islamic State

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Turkey reserves the right to take preventive measures against the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Islamic State group in Syria, according to a Turkish statement on Thursday. 

Erdogan's comments raise the stakes on the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, the bulk of whose fighters belong to the YPG. 

Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organisation. The YPG is the Syrian wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey, the US and EU consider a terrorist group.