Turkey says it has reached an understanding with the United States over the stabilizing of the Syrian town of Manbij.

However, the Turkish foreign minister denies the two sides have made a full agreement about the town and other Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Syria. Ankara has been seeking to expand its offensive in Afrin to the Kurdish-controlled Manbij, but the town is where US troops are stationed. It argued that despite this, Kurdish militants in northern Syria, known as Y-P-G, are terrorists that threaten its security.

Meanwhile, German Chanchellor Angela Merkel has slammed Turkey's offensive, saying it is totally unacceptable.