ANKARA:: Turkish government is decided to go ahead with a planned military incursion against the Kurdish militia in northern Syria, notwithstanding opposition from other countries, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"I once again announce to the whole world that our struggle will not end until we secure our southern borders with a 30-km-deep corridor," Erdogan said at an event on Thursday.

Large portions of land near Turkey's border with northern Syria are already occupied. Erdogan has previously warned of a new onslaught to push the People's Defense Units (YPG), a Syrian Kurdish force supported by the US, further south. The YPG is frequently targeted by Turkey because it views the group as "terrorists" and a threat to national security because of its ties to domestic militants.

Ankara has earlier received advice from Russia and Iran not to launch an invasion, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-government Assad's against rebels backed by Turkey. A new Turkish attack could divert attention away from the effort to combat the Islamic State terrorist organisation, the US has separately cautioned.

Erdogan said, without naming any nations, "We are aware of the hypocrisy of those that start operations whenever they want and point their fingers at us."  "According to our own plans and in accordance with the security goals of our nation, we will continue these activities. As we frequently say, we might arrive unexpectedly one night "said the President.

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