Turkey and the U.S. established working groups to discuss issues including the stabilization of Manbij
Diplomatic sources said Friday that talks between Ankara and Washington on Syria’s Manbij have been suspended until U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo takes office.
Turkey and the U.S. have established working groups to discuss a number of issues including the stabilization of Manbij, Syria and preventing any undesirable clashes.
Manbij district of Aleppo province was invaded by YPG/PKK terror group in Aug. 2016 with U.S. support. Due to the abrupt departure of former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who helped establish the working groups, the future of Manbij remains uncertain.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 to clear terrorist groups from Afrin, northwestern Syria, amid growing threats from the region.
On March 18, Turkish-backed troops liberated the town of Afrin, a major hideout for the terrorist organization PYD/PKK since 2012.
Ankara said it might also extend its operation further east to Manbij unless the PYD/PKK terrorist group leaves the strategically located city.
However, U.S. military support for the terrorist PYD/PKK group in Manbij has strained ties between Ankara and Washington and has led to fears of potential clashes on the ground between troops of the two NATO allies. There are roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in the city.
The U.S. has supported the YPG/PKK under the name of SDF, which Ankara considers the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization.
The PKK has fought a 33-year war against Turkey that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, including those of women and children.
