Baladi News
The United States is not discussing a Turkish offensive in northeast Syria with Turkey and believes no such operation is needed to address Ankara’s security concerns, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday, dismissing media reports to the contrary.
A Turkish defense official was cited by Turkish state media on Tuesday as saying Ankara was discussing with the United States and Russia a potential offensive in a region of northeast Syria controlled by Kurdish-led fighters.
“The U.S. is not discussing a Turkish offensive into northeast Syria with Turkey,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Turkey wants to set up a safe zone in the border area east of the Euphrates River after the majority of U.S. troops pull out of the country.
The U.S. military has been supporting Kurdish-led forces there who are fighting Islamic State. Turkey, however, views the Kurdish YPG fighters who are the backbone of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, as terrorists and has threatened to launch operations against them.
Source: Reuters.