Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Tuesday that the Turkish Armed Forces had taken on a new role of fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) in neighbouring Syria and will begin the task in the upcoming days, independent news site Diken reported.

Akar’s comments arrive following U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration that Turkey could easily take on the the terrorist organisation, following his surprise decision announced on Dec. 19 to withdraw troops from the war-torn country, in a move seen as a diplomatic win for Ankara.

Akar, along with Turkey’s top military brass visited the southeastern border province of Gaziantep on Tuesday, Diken said, where he spoke to soldiers on duty.

Turkey has been  sending tanks and artillery near Syrian border following the announcement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this month that Ankara was preparing to launch a third military operation against the Kurdish militia in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, unless Washington made the Kurdish militants leave the area.

The Turkish leader, however, later stated the operation would be delayed following the announcement of U.S. withdrawal from the region.