“The idea is here discouragement of harassment fire,” Jeffrey told a group of journalists after his talks with the Turkish officials in Ankara for a joint working group on Syria.
“Remember these are not combat outposts. They are not there to stop anyone from shooting. They are there to find out what’s going out on the ground with the idea that if we are able to observe an area, probably there will less shooting in the area. That’s of interest of Turkey, interest of us and people of north Syria,” he said when asked about Turkey’s concerns that the posts cause negative perspective as if they were for protection of YPG from Turkish fire.
“These observations posts will give us more information what was going on and deter among any other things anybody shooting into Turkey from across the border,” he said noting that the Turkish government had given Washington various evidence of such attacks across the border. “The intent is to try to ensure security in that area including the security of Turkey,” he added.
Jeffrey’s talks in Ankara came few days after he suggested the U.S. wanted the Astana process — the three-way negotiations between Turkey, Russia and Iran — to be brought to an end.
Reporter’s code: 50101
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