BALADI NEWS
Turkey will have to form the safe zone in Syria by itself if it cannot come to an agreement with the U.S., Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told his American counterpart on Monday.
Akar held a phone call with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, telling him one more time that Turkey expects the U.S. to fully withdraw its support from the People's Protection Units (YPG)-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
"If Turkey, US don't find common ground, Ankara will be obliged to create a safe zone on its own," Akar said.
Turkey had long signaled a possible offensive in areas held by the YPG east of the Euphrates. However, last December the government decided to postpone the operation for a while after U.S. President Donald Trump decided that Washington, the main backer of the YPG, would withdraw its troops from Syria.
Source: Daily Sabah.