Türkiye rejects claims of targeting US coalition forces in Syria
ANKARA
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has declined allegations that Turkish strikes have hit the U.S. coalition forces in northern Syria.
“It is out of the question for us to harm coalition forces or civilians,” Akar told reporters late on Nov. 24.
“Where the terrorist is, that’s our target. Our most important principle is not to harm civilians and the environment,” Akar stated.
The minister also noted that “Operation Claw-Sword,” launched on Nov. 20 with an aerial campaign, continues with air and ground support fires.
“The operation continues with punishing fires made by air and ground fire support vehicles. So far, 326 terrorists have been neutralized during the operation,” he said.
The Turkish military launched a massive air operation into the PKK and YPG targets in northern Iraq and Syria on Nov. 20 in reaction to a terror attack in downtown Istanbul on Nov. 13 that killed six civilians. Turkish authorities blamed the attack on the illegal PKK group and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG.
Russia and the U.S. have troops in Syria and called on Türkiye to show restraint and not to further escalate the situation in the region.
The U.S. Central Command earlier said its troops were put at risk over a Turkish drone strike on Nov. 22 on a base near Hasakah city in Syria used by the U.S.-led coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) established against the ISIL.
“We have received additional information that there was a risk to U.S. troops and personnel,” CENTCOM said on Nov. 23, adding that no U.S. service members were injured in the strike.
Meanwhile, Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler held a phone call on Nov. 14 with U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley.
