Turkey, U.S. to oversee YPG/PKK withdrawal from Syria's Manbij
Speaking to a Turkish news channel on Turkey's Syria policy, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said in televised remarks that Turkey and the United States would decide on a plan for securing Manbij during talks on March 19, but said Turkish forces would carry out a military operation if those failed.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 12:00 | 13 March 2018
- Modified Date: 11:55 | 13 March 2018
Turkey and the United States will oversee the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria's Manbij town, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was quoted by NTV and other local media as saying on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on his flight to Moscow, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey and the United States will decide on a plan for securing Manbij during talks on March 19, but said Turkish forces would carry out a military operation if those failed.
Çavuşoğlu also said Turkey had not made any demands from the Syrian government regarding Manbij, and added Ankara would monitor the return of weapons given to the YPG/PKK by the United States, an issue that has strained ties between the NATO allies.
The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. Its more than three-decade long campaign against Turkey, has killed nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.
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