Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister underscores nation's contributions in ongoing battle against Daesh/ISIS
Date
10/2/2024 8:11:13 AM
(MENAFN) At a recent ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS held in Washington, D.C., Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz underscored the nation's significant contributions in the ongoing battle against Daesh/ISIS. He emphasized that Turkey’s role has been critical since the onset of the conflict, highlighting the country's unique and concrete efforts in this fight.
In his remarks, Yilmaz also condemned the destabilizing actions of the PKK and its affiliated group, the YPG, in the region. He stated that the PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and other countries, and its extensions have become a major destabilizing factor in both Syria and Iraq. Turkey firmly opposes U.S. support for the YPG due to its connection with the PKK, which has conducted a terror campaign against Turkey for over 40 years, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths, including those of women, children, and infants, as per official statistics.
While the United States recognizes the YPG, also known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as a vital ally in the fight against Daesh/ISIS in Syria, it does not classify the YPG as a terrorist organization, even though it acknowledges the PKK as such. This disparity in designation and support continues to be a major point of contention between the two NATO allies.
The U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS was established in September 2014 to combat the terror group in Iraq and Syria, and it now includes members from nearly 87 countries and organizations. As Turkey reaffirms its commitment to this coalition, the complexities surrounding its relationship with the U.S. highlight the ongoing challenges in effectively addressing terrorism in the region.
MENAFN02102024000045015687ID1108739024
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.