Terrorists cannot be allies of US – Turkish presidential aide
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin's remarks came a day after US Senator Lindsey Graham called terrorists in Syria "Kurdish allies" of the US.
YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria cannot be allies of the US, Turkey's presidential spokesman said on Monday after US Senator Lindsey Graham called them "Kurdish allies".
"Dear @LindseyGrahamSC You know and have stated publicly more than anyone else the direct link between the terrorist PKK and its Syria branches PYD & YPG," Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.
He added: "Terrorists cannot be your allies. Just as ISIS [Daesh] doesn’t represent Muslims, PKK doesn’t represent Kurds in Syria or elsewhere."
Dear @LindseyGrahamSC You know and have stated publicly more than anyone else the direct link between the terrorist PKK and its Syria branches PYD & YPG. Terrorists cannot be your allies. Just as ISIS doesn’t represent Muslims, PKK doesn’t represent Kurds in Syria or elsewhere. https://t.co/ZVVXw5CZe0
— Ibrahim Kalin (@ikalin1) December 31, 2018
Kalin's remarks come a day after Graham dubbed terrorists in Syria "Kurdish allies" of the US.
Graham tweeted: "I learned a lot from President @realDonaldTrump about our efforts in Syria that was reassuring."
I learned a lot from President @realDonaldTrump about our efforts in Syria that was reassuring. (1/3)
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 30, 2018
"The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: ISIS (Daesh) is permanently destroyed, Iran doesn’t fill in the back end, and our Kurdish allies are protected."
The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure:
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 30, 2018
1) ISIS is permanently destroyed.
2) Iran doesn’t fill in the back end, and
3) our Kurdish allies are protected.
"President @realDonaldTrump is talking with our commanders and working with our allies to make sure these three objectives are met as we implement the withdrawal.
Recently Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Binali Yildirim once again called on US to stop using one terror group to fight another.
"Let's say you eliminated Daesh [through the PYD/YPG]. Then what terror group would you work with to eliminate the PYD/YPG? It's a dead end," Yildirim said.
Turkey has repeatedly objected to US support for the terrorist PKK/PYD/YPG as a "reliable ally" in Syria, which has included supplying arms and equipment.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG/PYD is its Syrian branch.