Turkey: the US must cooperate to implement Manbij roadmap

ARK News: “The U.S. must work with Turkey to implement the Manbij roadmap without further delay”, said Turkey’s presidential communications director.

The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of PYD/YPG militants from the city to stabilize the region, which is in the northeast of northern Syria's Aleppo province.

Turkish and U.S. troops began joint patrols in Manbij at the beginning of November.

In the article, titled Only Turkey can protect US interests in Syria, Altun said that Washington must “coordinate with the Turkish military leadership the imminent withdrawal of US forces."

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly announced plans to withdraw American forces from the war-weary country.

The withdrawal plans came on the eve of a possible Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria against the YPG/PKK militants.

Altun went on to say that Turkey’s only objective in Syria was to address the root causes of radicalization to deny Da’esh an opportunity to regroup, to build the physical and social infrastructure to heal the wounds of war, and, by extension, prevent attacks against Turkish citizens.

Turkey has long objected to the U.S. giving support and weapons to the YPG/PYD to fight Da’esh.

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington is concerned that Turkey might “slaughter the Kurds.”

Source: Anadolu

428