content tagged with manbij

Making a statement about the ceasefire agreed by the US and Turkey, Minister of Foreign Affairs Çavuşoğlu said, “Today, we have once again affirmed our commitment to the protection of Syria’s territorial integrity and to the political process”.

James Jeffrey, the US Special Representative for Syria, has had a meeting with Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın in Ankara on the recent developments in northern Syria.

President Erdoğan has stated, “We will take steps, which are similar to the operations of Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch, in the east of Euphrates in the forthcoming period.”

It has been stated in National Security Council’s statement that Turkey may launch offensives into Manbij of Syria as well as Qandil and Sinjar of Iraq.

US Secretary of Defense Mattis has called on PKK to leave Sinjar.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Pentagon Spokesperson Manning has stated that the US forces will not withdraw from Manbij. In his interview to Al Jazeera, Presidential Spokesperson Kalın has said that an agreement has been reached.

Despite FM Çavuşoğlu’s statement that “Turkish and US troops will ensure the security in Afrin after YPG has withdrawn”, the US State Department has announced that there is no agreement between the sides yet.

Spokesperson for the US-led coalition to fight ISIS, Colonel Ryan Dillon has said that, "the latest activities in Afrin have been a distraction". "This is concerning for the coalition," said Dillon and added, "We don't want independent operations."