Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says the United States has made inconsistent statements about its plans to create a Kurdish-led Syrian border guard. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters on Wednesday that the United States owes Turkey an explanation for saying that it is supporting the creation of a border security force in northern Syria. Turkey says the weapons frequently end up in the hands of outlawed Kurdish rebels fighting Turkey. Turkey regards the Syrian Kurdish militia that controls Afrin and other areas along its border as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency and wants to prevent the establishment of a Kurdish corridor along the frontier. The Kurdish militia, which forms the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, now controls nearly 25% of Syrian territory.

Source: Evening echo January 18, 2018 11:48 UTC