Turkey determined to end Syria 'safe zone' work with US if it stalls
Turkey’s defense minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday held a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Mark Esper to discuss efforts to establish "safe zone" in northern region of war-torn Syria. Turkish minister stressed in call that Ankara was determined to end its work with the United States on establishing a "safe zone" in Syria if Washington stalled on the issue
- World
- Anadolu Agency & Reuters
- Published Date: 11:24 | 03 October 2019
- Modified Date: 11:42 | 03 October 2019
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told his U.S. counterpart by phone on Thursday that Ankara was determined to end its work with the United States on establishing a "safe zone" in northeast Syria if Washington stalled on the issue, Akar's ministry said.
Akar told U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper that Turkey sought the establishment of a "safe zone" some 30 km (19 miles) east of the Euphrates river and called on the United States to completely halt support for the YPG -- the Syrian branch of the PKK terror group --, the Turkish Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Akar also said during phone call that Turkey will not allow a terror corridor to be established in the country's southern part.
Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed on Aug. 7 to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return to their homeland.
Turkish leaders have said the U.S. is not doing enough to establish the zone, which could house some 2-3 million Syrians who fled the Syrian civil war since 2011.
Turkey currently hosts some 3.6 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world. Ankara has so far spent $40 billion for the refugees, according to official figures.
Turkey also reiterated its call on the U.S. to stop providing aid for PKK/YPG/PYD terror group, especially arms and ammunition support, the ministry's statement said.
The phone call also underlined that Turkey want the ensure the security of the religious and ethnic group, including the Kurds, Arabs, Christians, living in the region, as well as its security.
Turkey's ultimate aim is to rid the northern Syria of any terrorist group, such as Daesh and PKK, according to the statement.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The terrorist YPG is the PKK's Syrian branch.
The YPG/PKK and PYD/PKK are Syrian branches of the terrorist PKK and the focus of Turkey's successful counter-terrorist Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria, near the border with Turkey.