US must stop cooperating with YPG terrorists, Fidan tells Blinken

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken that Washington must stop working with PKK/YPG terrorists in northern Syria, according to a statement by diplomatic sources on Oct. 6. 

The phone call between Blinken and Fidan came one day after a U.S. fighter jet shot down a Turkish combat drone in Syria. 

Fidan told Blinken that "Turkey's counter-terrorism operations in Iraq and Syria will continue with determination," a Turkish diplomatic source said after the call.

The two reached an agreement on ways to de-escalate future conflicts in the region "in a way that would not hinder our fight against terrorism," the Turkish source said.

Blinken "highlighted the need to coordinate and deconflict our activities," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

Türkiye launches new wave of operations

Meanwhile, Türkiye's defence ministry it had a launched a new wave of air strikes against terror targets in Syria.

The announcement came just hours after Fidan spoke with Blinken.The Turkish defence ministry said it had hit 15 terror targets in northern Syria on Friday evening "with the maximum amount" of ammunition.The targets included "headquarters and shelters" used by YPG/PKK.