Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday warned the United States and Russia against "unacceptable" military and political support for Syrian Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. Turkey earlier summoned US and Russian envoys to warn against supplying arms and support for Syrian Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.
"We have a clear position. That position has been conveyed to the United States and the Russian Federation," Davutoglu said in televised comments. "Turkey cannot accept any co-operation with terrorist organisations which have waged war against it." A Turkish foreign ministry official told AFP that the US and Russian ambassadors were called to the ministry Tuesday "to convey Turkey's views" about Democratic Unity Party (PYD), the main Kurdish group in Syria.
"Necessary warnings were issued," the official added. Turkey labels the PYD as the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has waged a bloody insurgency since 1984. US-led coalition forces have parachuted in ammunition to anti-IS rebels in northern Syria, stepping their backing for groups battling jihadists.