Business Standard

Turkey assails US over ties with Syrian Kurdish militia

Image

AP Ankara
Turkey's foreign minister is assailing the United States, claiming American forces in Syria are intentionally stalling the fight against Islamic State militants as an excuse not to cut ties with Syrian Kurdish fighters as Ankara has demanded.

Mevlut Cavusoglu says US forces are leaving "pockets" with IS militants intact to justify continued cooperation with the Kurdish militia.

Cavusoglu says ties with the US are "at a critical stage" and that Washington needs to take "concrete steps" to regain Turkey's trust.

Ankara is riled over Washington's support for the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG -- the top US ally in the anti-IS fight.
 

Turkey considers the YPG a "terrorist" group linked to Kurdish insurgents within Turkey.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due in Ankara later this week.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Feb 12 2018 | 4:00 PM IST

Explore News