Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said pro-Ankara Syrian rebels were staging a new military operation in Syria's jihadist-controlled Idlib province.

"We are taking new steps to ensure security in Idlib. Today, a very serious operation is ongoing in Idlib and this will continue," Erdogan said in a televised speech. He later told reporters the operation was led by Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels and that the Turkish army was not yet operating there.