Turkish minister slams photo of US soldiers with YPG members

HALIFAX - Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s defense minister on Nov. 17 blasted a photo of U.S. soldiers having dinner with YPG members in Syria.

"These photos have found wide coverage in our media and disturbed our people. They tarnished the image of the U.S. and its army... for the Turkish public," state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Hulusi Akar as saying at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada.

"We expect U.S. to stop cooperation with the YPG terror group as promised."

The Nov. 11 photos show U.S. soldiers stationed in Manbij -- in northern Syria, near the Turkish border -- having a U.S. Veterans Day dinner with YPG members.

Ankara considers the YPG as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU.

"It is unacceptable for the U.S. to provide arms and ammunition by plane and trucks to the YPG terrorist group even when Daesh has been neutralized to a large extent," Akar said, adding that Turkey would never allow a terror corridor along its southern border.