YPG's Anti-IS Fight In Iraq, Syria May Be Aimed At Gaining Territories - Cavusoglu

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2018) The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) fight against the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) in Syria and Iraq might be an attempt to take control of territories in the two countries, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu suggested Sunday at a plenary session as part of the Doha Forum in Qatar.

Turkey views YPG as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization in Turkey and several other countries.

"When it comes to YPG/PKK, our Western friends are supporting them. Why? They have one pretext that YPG is fighting Daesh [alternate name for the IS terrorist group]. Maybe, in certain areas, yes, but the question is why they have been fighting Daesh? Just because they hate the ideology or to gain more territories in both countries [Iraq, Syria]? I think the answer is the second one," Cavusoglu asked, adding that the rest of the world chose not to face the truth.

Turkey has been claiming that the YPG presence near its border hampers its national security. The Turkish authorities have, in particular, accused Washington of supporting the YPG and failure to fulfill its promises regarding the withdrawal of the YPG from Syria's Manbij.

The Doha Forum � a global platform for dialogue that brings together leaders in policy from around the world � started in the Qatari capital on Saturday. The event has already saw speeches by a number of world's prominent politicians and ministers, including Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his counterpart, Taro Kono.