US’ Austin discusses de-escalation in Syria with Turkish counterpart
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Thursday spoke by phone with Turkish Minister of Defense Yasar Guler and discussed Turkish military escalation in North and East Syria.
On Thursday, Turkish army launched drone strikes on the infrastructure in several areas of north and northeast Syria that is run by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The strikes took place following a statement by Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, in which he threatened to strike a broader range of targets in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for the Ankara attack.
On Oct. 1, two individuals carried out a bomb attack in front of the building of the Ministry of Interior in Ankara injuring two police officers.
On Oct. 4, Fidan claimed that the two assailants who carried out the attack had been trained in Syria. “From now on, all infrastructure, large facilities and energy facilities belonging to (armed Kurdish groups) in Iraq and Syria are legitimate targets for our security forces,” he threatened.
Following the incidents, Austin urged de-escalation in the region and “the importance of maintaining strict adherence to de-confliction protocols and communication through established military-to-military channels,” Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said at a press briefing Thursday afternoon.
Both Austin and Guler reiterated commitment to defeating ISIS, according to Ryder, confirming the commitment to support the campaign to defeat ISIS.