“We can not pretend not to have heard continuous rocket attacks into our cities from Jarabulus, north Syria”, Erdogan said.
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Incident occurred outside the city of Jarablus in northern Syria.
The rebels captured by the YPG were members of the pro-Turkey Sultan Murad Brigade, that has been fighting alongside Turkish army forces in Jarablus.
Turkish media reported that Ankara summoned the USA ambassador to protest the United States criticism.
“They should have helped; however, the air intervention came in late because of them”. But the stated objective of operation “Euphrates Shield” – to remove “terrorists” from the Turkish border – is vague, prompting growing speculation over Ankara’s long term intentions.
Operation Euphrates Shield, which was launched August 24, aims at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkey’s border through Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery and jets.
Taking heavy enemy fire, Turkish air forward observers requested immediate support from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation airbase at Incirlik, from which the US-led coalition’s aircraft operate.
Observers say Ankara uses the Bashiqa base to undermine the activities of the PKK, which operates in the region.
“We are continuing to negotiate (with the Turkish forces) through the Americans”, he said without elaborating.
Three rockets fired from IS-held territory in Syria meanwhile struck the Turkish border town of Kilis, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Elbeyli, according to the Turkish governor’s office, which said one person was lightly wounded.
Hassan Ghandour, a former resident of Moadamiyeh and a lead negotiator on the deal, said most gunmen who are originally from Moadamiyeh will likely lay down their weapons and stay in the suburb.
“We continue to work very closely with our coalition partner and ally Turkey in trying to address their concerns about this situation”, spokesman Peter Cook said.
Ankara’s operation against the YPG aims to prevent the militia joining up with a Kurdish-held area to the west of the Euphrates, which Turkey fears would lead to the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria and bolster separatists rebels on the Turkish side of the border. Damascus has called the intervention a “blatant violation of the sovereignty” of Syria.
In the last few days the rebels have been moving quickly to clear the jihadists from the last stretch of the border under their control, backed by Turkish artillery and Turkish and coalition air strikes.
Turkey’s reaction to Washington’s criticism was to summon US Ambassador John Bass to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and express Ankara’s official displeasure.
In a major blow to ISIS, the Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by US airstrikes, drove ISIS from Manbij last month following a lengthy siege.
In turn, Turkey summoned US Ambassador John Bass to explain Washington’s comments.
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However, Turkey’s minister of European Union affairs, Omer Celik, on Wednesday dismissed those reports, while the spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said such a deal was “out of the question”, insisting the Kurdish Syrian militiamen will remain a target for Turkey until they move east of the Euphrates River.
