Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, March 19, 2018. Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey could expand military operations into other Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria and northern Iraq. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

ANKARA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey could expand military operations into other Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria and northern Iraq.

Speaking at a ceremony in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said Turkish troops may carry out a cross-border operation in Iraq's Sinjar against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) at anytime, if the Iraqi government is reluctant to oust these militants from the area.

The on-going operation in Syria "will continue until the terror corridor in Manbij, Ayn al-Arab, Tal Abyad, Ras al-Ayn and Qamishli is eliminated," Erdogan said, meaning that the operation would expand to the east of Euphrates River, where the U.S. troops are stationed.

Erdogan's comments come a day after Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces took over the northern Syrian city of Afrin from Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group alleged by Ankara to be affiliated with the PKK.