AMMAN - Turkey's foreign minister warned on Monday that Turkey's military would confront any Syrian government forces entering the northwest Afrin province to protect Kurdish YPG fighters.

"If the regime is entering there to cleanse the PKK and PYD, then there are no problems," Cavusoglu said, referring to the military loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"However, if it comes in to defend the YPG, then nothing and nobody can stop us or Turkish soldiers." he told a news conference during a visit to the Jordanian capital Amman.

Militias allied to the Syrian government will enter the Afrin region within hours, state media reported on Monday, after a reported deal to help Kurdish forces repel Turkey's forces. Turkey launched an operation last month against the Syrian Kurdish YPG in Afrin. Turkey considers the YPG terrorists.