Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 29
By Orkhan Guluzade – Trend:
The US should use its influence to make the Democratic Union Party (PYD, the Kurdish political party) withdraw from the west of the Euphrates, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Numan Kurtulmus said, Haber7 newspaper reported Aug. 29.
Turkey cannot remain indifferent in the issue of its own security, Kurtulmus added.
“The US must keep its promise regarding the relocation of the PYD to the east bank of the Euphrates,” he said. “We were also promised that the city of Manbij will be liberated from the PYD. If the entire region comes under control of the PYD, Syria will be divided. We support the territorial integrity of Syria.”
Earlier, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the “Islamic State” (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh) at the US Department of State Brett McGurk called unacceptable the fight of Turkish Armed Forces against the PYD in places where there are no units of the IS.
On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force with the support of the coalition aircraft launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo city.
The operation was carried out under the name “Shield of the Euphrates.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that this operation will continue until the PYD militants are completely liquidated.
Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The “Islamic State” (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh), the YPG and the PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade