Turkey insistent on PKK/PYD withdrawal in Syria

ANKARA (AA) – Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Friday Turkey was waiting for the PKK/PYD to withdraw east of the Euphrates River.

According to sources inside the Turkish defense ministry, during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, Isik said: “We are waiting for the PKK/PYD/YPG in Manbij to withdraw east of Euphrates [River] as promised.”

“We understand that the U.S. wants to direct the positive momentum of the [Euphrates Shield] operation to Raqqa,” Isik added.

The Syrian city of Raqqa has been dubbed the so-called “capital” of the Daesh terror group.

However, Isik also said “promises of terror organizations cannot be trusted”.

“What the PKK/PYD/YPG would do tomorrow, [we] cannot foresee,” he added.

The PKK and its Syrian offshoot the PYD are both listed as terrorist groups by Turkey although the U.S. and EU only view the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Operation Euphrates Shield was launched in August to rid the north Syrian border area of terrorists. The campaign has seen both Daesh and the PKK/PYD targeted by the Free Syrian Army and Turkish tanks, artillery and aircraft.