Turkey denies truce with Kurdish-backed militia in Syria

31 August 2016, 4:03 pm

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Turkey denies agreeing to a US-brokered truce with Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria, saying it would not compromise with a “terrorist” group a week into an unprecedented cross-border offensive.

Washington said yesterday that the two sides — both US allies — had agreed to a cessation of hostilities between their forces in Syria after deadly clashes at the weekend.

Kurdish fighters belonging to the police force -- the Asayesh -- and the People's Protection Units (YPG) stand on a statue of Basel Assad, the late elder brother of the Syrian President, in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on August 23, 2016, after they agreed to a truce with regime forces. (AFP PHOTO/DELIL SOULEIMAN) — Kurdish fighters belonging to the police force — the Asayesh — and the People’s Protection Units (YPG) stand on a statue of Basel Assad, the late elder brother of the Syrian President, in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on August 23, 2016, after they agreed to a truce with regime forces. (AFP PHOTO/DELIL SOULEIMAN)

“We do not accept in any circumstances … a ‘compromise or a ceasefire reached between Turkey and Kurdish elements,'” Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik tells state-run Anadolu news agency.

“The Turkish republic is a sovereign, legitimate state,” he says, adding Turkey could not be put on an equal footing with a “terrorist organization,” referring to the US-backed Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

— AFP