ANKARA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday Turkey would extend its military operation in Syria to the town of Manbij, a move that could potentially bring Turkish forces into confrontation with those of their NATO ally the United States. The remarks, from the spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan's government, underscored the growing bilateral tensions, six days after Turkey launched its air and ground operation, "Olive Branch," in Syria's northwestern Afrin region. THE FACTS: While the U.S. has provided training, weapons and logistical support for the YPG and the Syrian Democratic Forces it dominates, that aid is not known to have extended west of the Euphrates to Afrin. Turkish officials are disputing a White House readout of U.S. President Donald Trump's phone call with Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying it does not "accurately reflect" the content of their discussions. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on developments related to Syria (all times local):

The Pentagon says Turkey's military operations in the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Afrin are not helpful and threaten to damage the ongoing fight against Islamic State militants in Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a YPG-dominated umbrella group backed by the United States in the fight against Islamic State, has previously said that Turkey was exaggerating the number of the dead. Turkey's foreign minister says U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson raised the possibility of the creation of a 30-kilometer-deep "safe zone" in Syria running along Turkey's border, during their meeting in Paris earlier this week, to help address Turkey's security concerns.
British, American and German men are among a group of international volunteers who travelled to Afrin to fight against Turkish-led forces in north-west Syria.