Turkey ‘determined’ to drive out Syrian Kurdish forces

ISTANBUL — Turkey says it is working with the United States to co-ordinate the withdrawal of American forces but remains “determined” to clear U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters from northeastern Syria.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters Tuesday that “if Turkey says it will enter, it will.”

For weeks, Turkey has been threatening to launch a new offensive against the Kurdish fighters, who partnered with the U.S. to drive the Islamic State group out of much of northern and eastern Syria. Turkey views the Kurdish forces as terrorists because of their links to an insurgent group inside Turkey.

Cavusoglu says Turkey has the “strength to neutralize” IS on its own.

President Donald Trump announced the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month.

The Associated Press

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