Turkish defense minister to top US general: Cut YPG ties

HALIFAX, Canada

Meeting with the U.S.’ top general, Turkey’s defense minister has voiced Ankara’s objection to U.S. soldiers celebrating a veterans’ holiday with YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria.

"We reiterated the inappropriateness of the YPG presence here [in northern Syria] as a terrorist [group] which is no different from the PKK and U.S. soldiers spending time and cooperating with them," Hulusi Akar told Anadolu Agency following his meeting early Sunday with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman.

The closed-door, one-hour meeting, on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, addressed Nov. 11 photos showing U.S. soldiers stationed in Manbij -- in northern Syria, near the Turkish border -- having a U.S. Veterans Day dinner with YPG/PKK terrorists.

Akar said Turkey scolded the U.S. about the "provocative and unacceptable" images of YPG/PKK terrorists having dinner with U.S. soldiers and said he expects this not to be repeated.

Akar also said that the U.S. cooperation with the YPG/PKK disturbed Turkey and urged the U.S. to cut these ties as soon as possible.

"We also pointed out that giving weapons and ammunition to the terrorist YPG by truck and airplanes not fit with the understanding of [the Turkish-U.S.] alliance," he said.

Stressing how the terrorist group YPG has attacked Turkish security forces and caused the deaths of innocent civilians, Akar reiterated his hope that the U.S. will correct their mistake.

The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, a terrorist group recognized by Turkey, the U.S., and EU, which in its 30-year terror campaign has taken some 40,000 lives.

The U.S. has claimed the YPG/PKK is an “ally” in the fight against Daesh, over Turkey’s objections that you cannot use one terrorist group to fight another.

Turkey has repeatedly cited evidence that the YPG is no different from the PKK.

Reporting by Sarp Ozer by Sibel Ugurlu