US ambassador to Turkey says Washington not arming YPG

ANKARA

US Ambassador to Turkey John Bass said on Thursday that US is not arming the YPG, the armed wing of the terrorist PKK.

Speaking to the Diplomatic Correspondents Association in Turkish capital, Bass said, “The US is not arming the YPG. We are not providing arms. We are not providing ammunition to the YPG.” He added that whenever US weapons are confiscated from the PKK, those arms ultimately came from Iraqi security forces and had fallen into the hands of the PKK.

On the recent directive for families of US troops and personnel in certain areas to leave Turkey, Bass said this was to guard against Daesh attacks and that it is “very unusual” to have family members on military bases.

On PKK terrorism and Turkey’s counter-terror efforts, Bass said, “The US strongly supports the Turkish government’s right to protect its population and the citizens of this country against all terrorist attacks and against violence that is perpetrated against its citizens. That’s a basic responsibility of any government. And we see the effort to address PKK violence very much in that light.”

He added, “We believe it’s important for counter-terrorism operations to be as precise as possible and to be conducted in a way that to the greatest extent possible minimizes casualties.”

Bass further said diplomats and guests living in Turkey can “feel the pain and the suffering that’s created by all the violence,” and added, “That’s why I think it is so important for the PKK to stop its violent attacks, its terrorist attacks.”

Bass also praised Turkey’s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees.