ANKARA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkish top general had informed his Russian and U.S. counterparts ahead of a military operation launched by Turkey's army against Syria's Afrin on Saturday, local NTV broadcaster reported.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also held a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson at Washington's request in the wake of the announcement of the airstrikes, a Turkish foreign ministry official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Earlier in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the military operation in Syria's Afrin has "actively" begun.

Turkey is determined to ensure its national security and clear its borders of the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is considered by Ankara as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkish war jets have been hitting the YPG positions in Afrin on Saturday after days of shelling from the border.

The Turkish Army said the operation is named "Olive Branch" and started at local time 5 p.m. (1400 GMT).