In May Ankara and Washington reached a deal over Manbij, after months of disagreement, under which Kurdish fighters are to completely withdraw from the town - something Turkey says has yet to happen, Reuters reported.

This month, Turkish and U.S. troops began joint patrols in the region. That cooperation has been complicated as Turkey has shelled Kurdish fighters to the east of the Euphrates, across the river from Manbij, and threatened an offensive there.

“This delay should not exist anymore. This issue needs to be completed by the end of the year,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told broadcaster CNN Turk, referring to the withdrawal of the YPG from Manbij.

“Joint patrols have begun in Manbij and YPG needs to withdraw immediately from here. When we start implementing the same roadmap on the east of the Euphrates as well, YPG/PKK will be thrown out of all the cities,” he said.

The YPG are the core of a force that has fought against Islamic State with the support of U.S. air power, arms, funds, training and an estimated 2,000 American special forces troops on the ground.

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