Erdogan US Visit Seen as Opportunity to Reset Ties

Source:Voice of America Date:25Sep2018

Erdogan sent a reminder of the potential for a further escalation in bilateral tensions over Syria. In a speech Monday in New York, the Turkish president warned his armed forces are ready to launch an offensive against the Syrian Kurdish militia, YPG.

The YPG is a crucial ally in the war against Islamic State and about 2,000 U.S. troops are deployed with the militia where Erdogan is threatening to attack.

Ankara calls the YPG terrorists, accusing the group of being linked to a Kurdish insurgency in Turkey.