Turkey considers the YPG to be an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – a group striving for an independent Kurdish state in Turkey – which Ankara has declared a terrorist organisation.
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The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has blamed the USA -led coalition for failing to provide air support in time to them and the Turkish armed forces during an attack in northern Syria’s western Jarabulus late Tuesday. However, no help arrived from Incirlik, where the USA -led coalition forces are based.
Turkey and Russia suffered a roughly seven-month rupture in relations after Turkey shot down a Russian bomber in November as tensions mounted over Syria, where Moscow and Ankara back opposite sides in the civil war.
The spokesman said as a result of the offensive by Turkish partnered rebel groups in and around Jarabulus, “the span of the territory that ISIL control along the border with Turkey is now under 25 kilometers [15 miles]”.
Washington said on August 30 that Turkey and the Kurdish YPG – both US allies – had reached a “loose agreement” to stop fighting each other after deadly clashes over the weekend.
“We do not accept in any circumstances … a compromise or a ceasefire reached between Turkey and Kurdish elements”, EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik told state-run Anadolu news agency.
Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu called Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday to update him on the progress of ‘Euphrates Shield, ‘ Turkey’s incursion into Syria, which is aimed at helping Syrian rebels drive back IS as well as US -backed Kurdish forces.
The defiant rhetoric is likely to set back USA expectations of a halt in the fighting between Washington’s two allies in the region, both of whom are also fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Kurdish-backed militias said they had agreed to the truce.
Turkey is concerned that Syrian Kurdish fighters could embolden Kurdish militants waging an insurgency on its soil.
Erdogan’s remarks appeared to be in reference to comments made by a United States defence official to AFP Monday that Kurdish forces had “all” moved east of the Euphrates. “It is out of the question for the Turkish Republic to have any kind of a tie, an agreement. with this organization”.
The Pentagon says Kurdish forces have already moved east of the Euphrates, in compliance with Turkish and USA demands.
He added that Erdogan is now engaged in a diplomatic push to secure a broader cease-fire in Syria during the upcoming three-day Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which would allow aid to reach the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. He says Erdogan will hold discussions on the issue during the G-20 summit in China.
According to the statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry responded that the operation would continue until complete elimination of the threat of terror in Syria along the Turkish border.
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He reiterated Turkish demands that Washington live up to its assurances that the Syrian Kurdish forces would immediately withdraw to the east of the Euphrates.
