Turkey says U.S. will take over Manbij following YPG withdrawal

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish and U.S. forces will jointly take over the northern Syrian city of Manbij after the pullout of Kurdish militia, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, according to Al-Masdar News.

“A roadmap for the Syrian city of Manbij may be implemented before the end of this summer if a deal is reached between Turkey and the U.S.”, Çavuşoğlu added.

“Taking over the city will last until a new administration is formed as per an agreement with the United States”, he commented.

The U.S. State Department denied reaching an agreement with Turkey on this issue, said that talks are still ongoing.

The Turkish diplomat’s statements have also been refuted by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights by confirming that the Kurdish forces haven’t yet withdrawn from the city.

In the same context, spokesman of the Manbij Military Council, Shervan Derwish, described the statements as ‘fake’, denying any Kurdish withdrawal.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, supported by coalition airstrikes, captured the city from the Islamic State on August 2016 after 2-month assault.