Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) chairs the National Security Council (MGK) meeting in Ankara, Turkey, on March 28, 2018. Turkey will take action if Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) do not withdraw immediately from Syria's Manbij region, Turkish MGK said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Turkish Presidential Palace)

ANKARA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will take action if Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) do not withdraw immediately from Syria's Manbij region, Turkish National Security Council (MGK) said on Wednesday.

The MGK meeting was chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with participation of Premier Minister, Chief of General Staff, and other high-ranking officials.

"Terrorists in Manbij should be removed from the region as soon as possible, or else Turkey will not abstain from taking initiative," said a statement released after the meeting.

It added that Turkey will "take action" if Iraq failed to halt Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist group's activities in its territory.

Manbij sits on the west bank of the Euphrates River and the east of Syria's Afrin region, where Turkey has taken over recently from YPG militants after intensive military operations.

Ankara considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization, but the U.S. sees the group as effective partner in the fight against Islamic State and provides it military supplement, stirring disagreement between the two NATO members.