Turkey Expects Stronger US, NATO Backing In Syria - Defense Ministry

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published February 12, 2020 | 10:27 PM

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has called on the United States and NATO to take a more pronounced stance and support his country in Syria's Idlib, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Wednesday

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2020) Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has called on the United States and NATO to take a more pronounced stance and support his country in Syria's Idlib, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

Akar is in Brussels for the NATO ministerial meeting. He met with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on its sidelines to discuss Syria and Iraq, the ministry said in a statement.

"Our minister expressed his satisfaction with the US take on the latest events in Idlib.

He underscored the need for the US and NATO to make a more concrete contribution there," it read.

Syrian and Turkish troops have repeatedly clashed in the flashpoint region since the Syrian government began an operation to recapture it from Turkish-backed militants.

US special envoy for Syria engagement James Jeffrey, who is in Ankara on Wednesday, said last week the US administration was closely following these fire exchanges. He said the fighting in Idlib needed to stop.