Turkey said Wednesday a truce with Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria was “out of the question”, denying a U.S. claim the two sides had agreed to hold fire a week into Turkey’s cross-border offensive.
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The move is seen by many as the only solution to the current crisis which has been aggravated by the presence of the Islamic State group, which according to Kurdish fighters is sponsored by Turkey.
On Tuesday, the US said it had brokered a “loose agreement” between the two sides to suspend hostilities “for at least the next couple of days”.
“Operation Euphrates Shield” has drawn criticism from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally Washington, which has called on Turkey to avoid confrontation with Kurdish-aligned forces and stay focused instead on the joint battle against Islamic State.
Kalin said the Jarabulus operation had killed a “myth” that the Kurdish militia was the only effective force on the ground in the fight against IS, adding: “The moderate Syrian opposition, if supported, could put up an effective fight”.
Turkey and allied Syrian rebels have also fought USA -backed Kurdish forces known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, around Jarablus.
Turkey’s armed forces said on Wednesday they shelled 25 terrorist targets in northern Syria as part of Operation Euphrates Shield, Anadolu reported.
The Iranian spokesman said that until Turkey pulled out, the conflict would only intensify.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry says the two discussed current developments in Syria, the delivery of humanitarian aid and efforts to restart peace talks. If you crossed from Turkey into Syria – a route often used by those who want to join ISIS – the recruitment center was where you would have your first formal encounter with the terror group.
Besides withdrawing from the Jarablus area, the Kurdish fighters have also pulled out from the strategic town of Manbij and out of other embattled areas west of the Euphrates, said Mr.
Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik reacted harshly, saying that “Turkey is a sovereign state, it is a legitimate state…”
A provincial Turkish official says security forces fired tear gas and a water cannon at some 400 protesters on the Syrian side of the border Friday, after they threw rocks at builders of the new wall.
Rocket attacks on the Turkish province of Kilis from Daesh-held territory in northern Syria have killed tens of victims since January.
Washington has since called on Turkey to refrain from targeting the Kurds, with the State Department spokesman John Kirby saying this was “not helping us degrade and destroy” IS, while Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the reports of clashes were “a source of deep concern”.
Some 5,000 USA and Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have crossed into northern Syria from Turkey to participate in the so-called Euphrates Shield operation, according to local journalist Adnan al-Hussein, who is embedded with the groups.
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Erdogan’s remarks appeared to be in reference to comments made by a US defense official to AFP Monday that Kurdish forces had “all” moved east of the Euphrates.
