Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that a "no-fly zone" should be created in Syria to protect part of it from attacks by Syria's air force.

In his comments to reporters on his return from the UN General Assembly in New York, Erdogan did not specify where such a zone should be located.

But Turkey is eager to re-focus the world's attention on removing Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime from power as well as fighting the Islamic State militants who are battling Kurdish forces just over the border in Syria, triggering a refugee influx into Turkey.

"A no-fly zone must be declared and this no fly-zone must be secured," Erdogan said, adding that he had discussed the issue with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.