Türkiye’s top diplomat tells Blinken Kurdish fighters ‘cannot be allowed’ in Syria: Spokesperson

ISTANBUL: Türkiye’s top diplomat on Saturday (Dec 28) said Syrian Kurdish fighters essential for the United States in the fight against Islamic State extremists cannot be sheltered in Syria, in a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Blinken that “the PKK/YPG terrorist organisation cannot be allowed to take shelter in Syria,” the ministry spokesman said, referring to the People’s Protection Units (YPG) Ankara views as a terror group.

Türkiye has long been rankled by the United States’ support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria. Ankara sees YPG – the main component of the SDF – as an extension of its outlawed domestic foe the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).