Turkey, US officials discuss Syria safe-zone

Turkish and US military officials met Monday in the Turkish capital to discuss the establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria, according to the Turkish National Defence Ministry, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Today’s part of negotiations with the US military officials on the planned establishment of the Safe Zone in the north of Syria has been completed,” the ministry said Twitter. “Negotiations will continue tomorrow at Turkish Ministry of National Defence HQ in Ankara.”

Turkey expects the creation of a 20-mile (32-kilometre) safe zone in northern Syria and has stressed that it wants the YPG/PYD terror group cleared in the region.

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YPG/PKK is the Syrian offshoot of terror group PKK, which has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people in Turkey, including many children, women and infants, for more than 30 years.

Ankara and Washington have yet to hammer an agreement on the safe zone. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said Friday that Ankara has “limited” patience.

If efforts to find common ground with the U.S. prove unsuccessful, Ankara would have to create a safe zone in Syria on its own, said Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Friday.