Turkey says it won't tolerate 'de facto' Kurdish entity in Syria

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey's deputy prime minister says his country supports Syria's territorial integrity and won't tolerate the creation of a "de facto" Syrian Kurdish entity on its frontiers.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Bulent Arinc would not spell out what Turkey would do prevent any such entity from coming about but said it would act carefully and in a cool-headed manner.

Authorities here have been concerned over Syrian Kurdish militants' recent strengthening of power in areas bordering Turkey.

The concerns have been heightened by reports that Kurds in Syria are preparing to form an autonomous region in those areas.

Last week, a Syrian Kurdish group — affiliated with Turkey's own autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels — took control of a town on the border with Turkey after fighting radical Islamic groups.