From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 15, 2016
Turkey cries foul over US call to stop shelling Syrian Kurds
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleA Turkish official says Ankara received with astonishment Washington calls on Turkey to hold fire against US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria.
US Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday called Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to address the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in northern Syria.
During that call, according to a White House transcript, Biden emphasized the need for de-escalation and urged Turkey to cease artillery strikes in the area.
He also said the US was pressuring Syrian Kurdish forces from exploiting circumstances to seize additional territory near the Turkish border.
Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic tells reporters such statements were received “with astonishment” ”because they put US “ally Turkey and a terrorist organization in the same equation.”
— AP
The Times of Israel Community.