Turkey's Erdogan: Terror Groups Must Be Eliminated for Safe New Syria

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Islamic State and Kurdish PKK militants and related groups need to be eliminated for a safe and stable new Syria to be established.

Speaking to reporters on a return flight from a D-8 meeting in Egypt, Erdogan also told reporters that Turkey would support the new Syrian leadership in the fight against terrorist organizations.

He said he does not believe any power will continue to work with such groups in Syria anymore, in an apparent reference to the cooperation between the Kurdish YPG militia and the United States in northeastern Syria.

"Islamic State, the PKK and its versions which threaten the survival of Syria need to be eradicated," he said.