(MENAFN) NATO was criticized by Turkey's president for not supporting the country's ongoing military offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters in Syria.
Speaking to supporters Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked, "Hey NATO, where are you?" and accused the alliance of double standards. Erdogan said Turkey sent troops to conflict zones when requested, but did not receive support in return.
Ankara, since January 20th, has launched a large-scale military offensive against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin. The attack has so far resulted in scores of civilian casualties and displacement of thousands.
Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in Turkey and is deemed a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union and Turkey. The YPG has been an important ally for the United States in the fight against Islamic State.
MENAFN1103201800450000ID1096573889
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.