Published 00:02 IST, October 26th 2019
Turkey asks US to detain Syrian Kurdish-led SDF commander
The Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said on October 25 that US authorities must take the commander of the Kurdish-led SDF to Turkey into custody.
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The Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said on October 25, that US authorities must take the commander of the Kurdish-led SDF to Turkey into custody when he steps into the United States. The response comes after Ankara criticised Washington for giving him a treatment of a ‘legitimate political figure’. On the other hand, the US senators on October 23, asked the State Department to provide the visa to General Mazloum Kobani so that the US and Syria discussion can progress.
General Kobani accused by Ankara
According to the international media, Ankara accused him as a terrorist who has links to the Kurdish militants who has led to uprising conflict in Turkey. Further, Gul told reporters that Turkey has demanded the US to extradite Mazloum as soon as he enters in the United States. He further added that the request has been forwarded to the United States by the foreign ministry of Turkey.
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The US says Turkey ‘heading in the wrong direction'
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper warned Turkey that it was 'heading in the wrong direction' in regards to Syria, on October 24. He referred to its attack on Syria and the deal with Russia to patrol a 'safe zone' together. He said Turkey has put everyone in a very bad situation by launching an offensive in northern Syria against the Kurdish militants who are actually an ally of the United States in their battle against the Islamic State. Esper while speaking at a conference in Brussels ahead of a NATO defence Ministers' meeting said, "I think the incursion's unwarranted".
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There is a burden on Turkey's NATO allies now to work together and strengthen the partnership. He said the responsibility now was to get them back on track to be the strong ally that it used to be in the past. The deal between Russia and Turkey is reported to get rid of Kurdish militia which the latter considers 'terrorists'. Esper recently repeated Donald Trump's defence of abandonment of the Kurdish fighters who had to bear the consequences of the American campaign against the Islamic State in Syria. These fighters were pushed to run away from the cities which they run in Syria amid the Turkish offensive against them. He stated that America was against the Turkish invasion but they will not go for a war opposite a NATO ally for a land that they did not sign up to defend at first.
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READ: Turkey: Erdogan Threatens To Resume Syrian Offensive As Deadline Ends
READ: US’s Esper Has Sharp Words For Turkey Over Syria Invasion
(With Agency Inputs)
19:42 IST, October 25th 2019