The White House national security advisor John Bolton has on Sunday, added a new condition to the United States military forces withdrawal from Syria, that Turkey must now agree to protect the US-backed Kurdish allies in Syria and must not attack them once the US leaves Syria.
According to the US news, while on a trip to Turkey and Israel, Bolton said he would now stress upon the talks with the Turkish officials, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, forcing them to protect the Kurdish fighters in Syria.
Ahead of his talks with Israeli officials, Bolton said the US troops’ pullout would guarantee the ISIS and Islamic State militants “is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again”, and it would be carried out in a way to “make sure that the defense of Israel and our other friends in the region is absolutely assured, and to take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups”.
Bolton said: “We don’t think the Turks ought to undertake military action that’s not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum,” adding “so they don’t endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president’s requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered”.
Turkey has castigated Washington over its military relationship with the YPG. The YPG has indicated it might seek a deal with Damascus after the US troops’ pullout.
Bolton, on Monday, traveled to Turkey and said the US would talk with Ankara to make a way out what is its objectives and also capabilities.
Turkish president spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said its target were the YPG, the Islamic State and the PKK.
According to a Turkish news agency, Kalin said, “One aim of Turkey’s fight against the PKK and its Syrian extensions is to rescue the Kurds from the cruelty and oppression of this terrorist group,” after Bolton’s remarks.
Kalin said: “Turkey will continue decisively its efforts to end the war, provide security, and implement the process of political transition without discriminating between our Syrian brothers on the basis of religion, ethnicity or sect.”
On Sunday, Bolton had a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where Bolton reassured Israel and its allies of the US commitment to their security.