Turkey slams US’s anti-ISIL envoy

Diplomat’s recall sought for backing YPG in Syrian war

ISTANBUL // Turkey called for the removal yesterday of the US diplomat coordinating the international coalition fighting ISIL, accusing him of backing Syrian Kurdish militias. Washington and Ankara are at odds over US support for the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, which Turkey considers a front for outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) rebels.

“Brett McGurk is definitely giving support to the PKK and YPG and it would be useful if this person was replaced,” said Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Last year, Mr McGurk visited YPG members who controlled the Syrian town of Kobani and was awarded a plaque, drawing Ankara’s wrath.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan then told Washington to choose between his country and “terrorists”. But Ankara is now upbeat about the future of ties with the US under Donald Trump, with Mr Cavusoglu praising the new administration as “more sincere” after Mr Erdogan’s talks with the president.

Mr Erdogan met Mr Trump at the White House on Tuesday, with the two leaders pledging to improve ties between the Nato allies – even as the Turkish president gave a stern warning about Washington’s arming of Kurdish militia in Syria.

“It is absolutely unacceptable to take the YPG-PYD into consideration as partners in the region, and it’s going against a global agreement we reached,” Mr Erdogan said in Washington, referring to the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), whose armed wing is the YPG.

The United States considers the YPG as the most effective force on the ground in the fight against ISIL.

Turkey is keen to join a future battle to recapture the Syrian city of Raqqa, ISIL’s last remaining major stronghold, but only if Kurdish militia forces do not take part in the operation.

Yesterday , Mr Erdogan said he told Mr Trump that Ankara would not join any Raqqa operation given the YPG’s participation. “I’ve seen America is very sensitive on the Raqqa issue and I said ‘good luck’, we cannot join an operation with a terror organisation.” Mr Erdogan said he told Mr Trump that Turkey would act unilaterally if there were a YPG attack.