'US must cut ties with YPG': Turkish defense minister

HALIFAX, Canada

Turkey’s defense minister on Saturday blasted a photo of U.S. soldiers having dinner with YPG terrorists in Syria, reiterating that Turkey expects the U.S. to keep its pledge to cut ties with the terrorist YPG.

"These photos have found wide coverage in our media and disturbed our people. They tarnished the image of the U.S. and its army... for the Turkish public," Hulusi Akar said at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada.

"We expect U.S. to stop cooperation with the YPG terror group as promised."

The Nov. 11 photos show U.S. soldiers stationed in Manbij -- in northern Syria, near the Turkish border -- having a U.S. Veterans Day dinner with YPG terrorists.

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.

"It is unacceptable for the U.S. to provide arms and ammunition by plane and trucks to the YPG terrorist group even when Daesh has been neutralized to a large extent," Akar said, adding that Turkey would never allow a terror corridor along its southern border.

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

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