President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized U.S. support of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, at a speech to members of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on Tuesday.
“The U.S. decision to provide financial support to the YPG will affect Turkey's decisions. The support will allegedly reach $3 billion,” Erdoğan said.
He added that "all truths will be discussed" when U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits Turkey this week.
The Pentagon requested $300 million on Monday to train and equip the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the umbrella group for the PYD/PKK terror group, and wants nearly as much to build the “border security force” made up of PYD terrorists in Syria.
“Nobody has the right to use Daesh as an excuse. The Daesh play in Syria, and Iraq has come to an end,” said Erdoğan.
Early on Tuesday, Tillerson said the end of major combat operations against Daesh does not mean the U.S. and its allies have achieved an enduring defeat against Daesh.
“Of course, we will not purposefully target them [U.S.], but starting from the terrorists who stand beside them, we will destroy every terrorist we come across. Then they will understand that it would be better if they weren’t beside the terrorists whom they pat on the back,” Erdoğan said.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 in Syria’s Afrin to establish security and stability, eliminate PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terrorists, and save locals from their oppression and cruelty.
"It is quite clear that those who say they will retaliate if we strike have never had an Ottoman slap," said Erdoğan.
In a veiled message to Turkey, Lt. Gen. Paul Funk, the overall Global Coalition Against Daesh commander, had said: “You hit us, we will respond aggressively. We will defend ourselves.”
The U.S has supplied the YPG/PYD terror organization with more than 5,000 truckloads of weapons to allegedly use in the fight against Daesh, despite Ankara’s warnings that the group is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization.
Erdoğan called on the U.S. to abide by its NATO obligations.
"What kind of NATO membership is this? What kind of NATO alliance is this?" he asked.
"As president of Turkey, [I say] NATO is not equal to the U.S., all countries [in the alliance] are equals to the U.S."
Erdoğan called on Cyprus not to overstep the mark in the eastern Mediterranean, after Greek Cypriots accused the Turkish military of obstructing a vessel exploring for natural gas over the weekend.
“Those who crossed their limits in Cyprus and the Aegean Sea should not make any miscalculation,” Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan said Turkish warships and security units were monitoring developments in the region.
