Speaking to journalists after an election meeting in the capital Ankara yesterday, Cavusoglu recalled a meeting of the Turkey-U.S. Joint Working Group in Washington on February 6, in which a decision to form a joint task force was made.

The next meeting of the Turkey-U.S. Joint Working Group, tasked to coordinate the American troops withdrawal from Syria, will be held in Ankara between Febuary 28 and March 1, Hurriyet daily reported.

“This task force only focuses on the withdrawal. The roadmap on Manbij and other issues are being held within the scope of the joint working group,” Cavusoglu said.

The U.S. pullout from Manbij, which Turkey often refers to as the east of the Euphrates River, will top the agenda during the meeting, according to a source quoted by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency on February 26.

The U.S. currently has more than 2,000 troops deployed in Syria.

On February 21, the White House said 200 troops will remain in Syria as part of a peacekeeping effort. However, a report published by The Washington Post said 400 troops will remain, with 200 in northeast Syria and another 200 at the al-Tanf garrison in southern Syria.

Cavusoglu also stated that after the pullout announcement different decisions and behaviors were manifested by Washington.

“In essence, this indicated the fact that the U.S. lacks a strategy on Syria. We tried to help them on this matter. They also agree on the coordination issue with us but we need a common understanding on safe zone and other topics. Joint working group meets with this purpose. In the meetings, both sides will share thoughts and prospects of what to do,” Cavusoglu said.

On February 13, Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said Washington will establish a multinational observer force to replace U.S. military in northeastern Syria.

A Turkish official, who spoke anonymously due to restrictions on talking to the media, said Turkey is still a member of the U.S.-led coalition fighting against IS.

The official stressed the U.S. intention to give Turkey a symbolic place in the coalition observer force to prevent the country from having a powerful military presence in northeastern Syria.

Turkey, however, plans to push YPG militants at least 30-40 kilometers south of its border and to take military measures to block them.

The YPG dominates the SDF, an umbrella group acting as the ground armed forces of the anti-IS coalition. However, Turkey deems the YPG as an offshoot of the illegal PKK which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.

In line with the Manbij roadmap, joint investigations by Turkey and the U.S. are ongoing for the restructuring of civil and military councils in the northern Syrian town of Manbij.

Reporter’s code: 50101