Turkey calls for ouster of US envoy in charge of countering IS
By AFP | Published: 18th May 2017 01:24 PM |
Last Updated: 18th May 2017 01:24 PM | A+A A- |
Thousands of Kurds, including many carrying flags with the image of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, demonstrate in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. | AP
ISTANBUL: Turkey called Thursday for the ouster of the US diplomat who coordinates the international coalition fighting against the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria, accusing him of backing Syrian Kurdish militia.
Washington and Ankara are bitterly at odds over US support for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, a faction that Turkey considers a front for banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) separatists.
"Brett McGurk is definitely giving support to PKK and YPG. It would be useful if this person was replaced," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the private NTV television.
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