Turkey says parts of northern Syria to become 'safe zone'

ANKARA (Reuters) - Swathes of northern Syria cleared of Islamic State militants will become a "safe zone", Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday, after Turkish warplanes pounded jihadist positions in a series of strikes. "When areas in northern Syria are cleared of the (Islamic State) threat, the safe zones will be formed naturally," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a news conference. "We have always defended safe zones and no-fly zones in Syria. People who have been displaced can be placed in those safe zones." (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz and Ece Toksababy; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Toby Chopra)