Austin Expressed To Turkish Counterpart Opposition To Syria Military Operation - Pentagon

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st December, 2022) US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke by telephone with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar and expressed Washington's strong opposition to Ankara's new military operation in northeast Syria and shared his concern that Turkish strikes threaten US forces in the region, the Defense Department said.

"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J.

Austin III spoke by phone today with Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar," the Defense Department said in the press release on Wednesday. "He also expressed concern over escalating action in northern Syria and Turkiye, including recent airstrikes, some of which directly threatened the safety of US personnel who are working with local partners in Syria to defeat ISIS (Islamic State, banned in Russia). Secretary Austin called for de-escalation, and shared the Department's strong opposition to a new Turkish military operation in Syria."