Turkish, US officials discuss Syria in Brussels

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's defense minister and the U.S. special envoy for Syria discussed the situation in the northern Syrian town of Manbij and the east of Euphrates River on Thursday, according to a statement from Turkish defense ministry.

During their meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hulusi Akar and James Jeffrey also discussed latest developments in Syria, the statement said.

Akar told Jeffrey that Turkey expected the U.S. to keep its promises on Manbij, it said.

Last year, Ankara and Washington reached a deal stipulating the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the town for the stability of the region, located in the northern part of Syria’s Aleppo province.

Akar reiterated Turkey's views for the formation of a safe zone in to the east of the Euprates River, the statement added.

Turkey previously underlined that a safe zone in this area would need to be free of YPG/PKK terrorists and that the region’s safety must be secured by Turkey.

The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, a terrorist group recognized by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU which in its 30-year terror campaign has taken some 40,000 lives, including women and children.

The U.S. has claimed the YPG/PKK is an "ally" in the fight against Daesh over Turkey’s objections that one terrorist group could not be used to fight another. Ankara repeatedly cited evidence that the YPG was not distinguishable from the PKK.

* Writing by Fatih Hafiz Mehmet