Turkey, US to discuss ‘safe-zone’ in Syria

ANKARA

Turkish and American military officials will meet in Ankara next week to discuss the establishment of a safe zone in Syria, according to an official statement Friday.

Turkish National Defense Ministry said U.S. officials would arrive to continue discussions Aug. 5 on the establishment of the safe zone in Syria.

Turkey expects the creation of a 20-mile (32-kilometer) safe zone in northern Syria and has stressed that it wants the YPG/PYD terror group cleared in the region.

YPG/PKK is the Syrian offshoot of terror group PKK, which has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people in Turkey, including many children, women and infants, for more than 30 years.

Turkey and Washington have yet to hammer an agreement on the safe zone. Turkey’s foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said Friday that Ankara’s has "limited" patience.

If efforts to find common ground with the U.S. prove unsuccessful, Turkey will have to create a safe zone in Syria on its own, said Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Friday.