(VOVworld) – US Vice President Joe Biden has said Turkey would maintain its presence in Syria until it could drive the Islamic State away from its border.

In this January 23 photo, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, right, meets with US Vice President Joe Biden in Istanbul (Photo: Reuters)

Speaking to reporters on Thursday following his meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Biden said the Turkish people had gradually changed their minds and realized that the IS was a threat to Ankara. He said this while Syria expressed strong opposition Turkey’s deployment of soldiers, tanks, and armored vehicles to northern Syria. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said that Turkey had seriously violated Syria’s sovereignty and that the war on terror should be conducted with agreement from Damacus. Russia has also expressed concern over Turkey’s operation.