14 January 2018 - 21:20

Turkey blames U.S. training of Kurdish YPG in Syria

<p style="text-align: left;">Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan&rsquo;s spokesman on Sunday denounced efforts by the U.S.-led coalition to train a border security force in northern Syria including Kurdish YPG fighters as worrying and unacceptable.

According to Reuters Ibrahim Kalin said that, instead of ending support for the YPG “the USA is taking worrying steps to legitimize this organization and make it lasting in the region. It is absolutely not possible for this to be accepted.”

Turkey considers the YPG to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and European Union.

Kalin added that Ankara “will continue its fight against any terrorist organization regardless of its name and shape within and outside its borders.”

Reporter’s code: 50101

News Code 3720