The Latest: Turkey says monitoring Syrian Kurdish pullout

AKCAKALE, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on Turkey's invasion of northern Syria (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

Turkey's defense ministry says it is closely monitoring the withdrawal of Syrian Kurdish forces as required by a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. That deal has put Turkey's military invasion of northern Syria on "pause" until later this week.

In a statement Sunday, the ministry said the evacuations were taking place in close coordination with the U.S.

Turkey wants the Kurdish fighters to move away from the Turkey-Syria border, pulling back 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the south. The ceasefire is to end Tuesday evening.

The ministry said an 86-vehicle Kurdish convoy has left Ras al-Ayn, a key border town in northeast Syria, toward the town of Tal Tamr.

The statement said Turkey's forces were not obstructing the evacuation.

Washington had backed the Kurds in the fight against the Islamic State group. Turkey considers the Kurdish militias to be terrorists.

___

4:35 p.m.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan want to set up a meeting with the leaders of France and Germany to discuss Turkey's military operation in Syria.

Johnson's office said in a statement Sunday that he and Erdogan "agreed to look for an opportunity to meet alongside President (Emmanuel) Macron and Chancellor (Angela) Merkel to discuss the current situation as well as broader issues including counter-terrorism and migration."

Johnson described the U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement as a "step in the right direction" but also stressed that "there remains a great deal of concern about Turkey's military operation in northeast Syria."

Turkey launched its offensive against Kurdish-led fighters in northeast Syria on Oct. 9.

..