Alwaght- Turkey’s defense minister says the US is training of YPG/PKK terrorists adding that the move is not acceptable to Ankara.
Speaking on Wednesday at an event in the capital Ankara marking Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Armed Forces Day, Hulusi Akar said Turkey is determined to protect its rights in land, seas and air.
Turkey has long criticized US cooperation with the PKK/YPG, pointing out that the YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK, a group recognized as terrorist by Turkey, the US, and the EU.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.
"Turkey will not let any terror corridor in country's south and Syria's north, including east of Euphrates river. So far Turkey has performed major fights against all terror organizations, PKK, YPG, ISIS, especially FETO, for peace in Turkey and the region and we will go on with our fight and operations with the same determination until the last terrorist is neutralized," Akar said.
FETO and its US-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, is accused of orchestrating the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 which left 251 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured.
The remarks by Akar came one day after the US military announced it had established “observation posts” in northern Syria with the purported aim of preventing clashes between Turkish forces and US-backed Kurdish militants, despite Ankara’s strong opposition to the plan.
Ankara, one of Washington’s key allies in the region, has repeatedly questioned the US deployment of heavy weapons in Syria despite the defeat of ISIS terrorists in much of the Arab country.
Syria has strongly denounced the presence of both Turkish and US troops in the country.
