Turkey Again Urges US to Cut Ties with Terrorists

TEHRAN (defapress)- Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Saturday that if the US wants to keep ties with Turkey, it should withdraw its support for terrorists.

News ID: 68612

Date: 11 February 2018 - 14:45

Talking to reporters in central Yozgat province, Bozdag said the US must show understanding of Turkey's sensitivity and concerns, Anadolu Agency reported.

He reiterated Turkey’s expectations and called on the US to end every kind of aid provided to PYD/PKK terrorists.

“Turkey wants to have good terms with the US, which is a NATO ally; the U.S. also wants to have good terms with us,” Bozdag added, stressing that “Then it is clear. You [the US] will not support terror, you will not give weapons to the terrorists, you will not train the terrorists.”

The Deputy Premier also recalled the remarks of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu on Afrin operation, when he said “I do not find it right to enter Afrin’s city center”.

Bozdag added that “Saying ‘do not enter Afrin’s city center’ is same as saying ‘do not touch the terrorists who are in there’. It is not understandable to hear this from the main opposition party’s head.”

He said Turkey would continue its operation till the Afrin region was completely cleared of terrorists.

Turkey on January 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin, northwestern Syria.

According to Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region as well as to protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council’s decisions, self-defense rights under the UN charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.