Turkey States Efforts on Roadmap for Syria’s Manbij Have Accelerated, According to Reuters

By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON – Efforts to implement an agreement between Turkey and the United States regarding the Syrian town of Manbij have recently intensified, according to Turkey’s foreign minister. He noted that the Kurdish YPG militia continues to remain in the area.

"The process in Manbij has accelerated despite adverse weather conditions; however, the roadmap should have been completed by now, and the delay is due to the United States," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated during a press conference in Washington.

Cavusoglu highlighted that, in addition to conducting joint patrols in Manbij, Turkey has started collaborating with the U.S. to determine who will govern the town and who will be part of its security forces once the YPG withdraws.

After months of negotiations, Ankara and Washington reached an agreement in June outlining a plan for the YPG’s removal from Manbij. Turkey has expressed ongoing frustrations over the delayed implementation of this arrangement.

"The U.S. administration also wishes for the roadmap to be executed as swiftly as possible," Cavusoglu remarked.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan indicated on Tuesday that Turkey would only wait a few weeks for the removal of militants from Manbij. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the YPG, have maintained control of the town since 2016.

Cavusoglu was in Washington to participate in a meeting of 79 countries allied against the Islamic State. He also mentioned that there remains limited clarity regarding the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria and the establishment of a safe zone in the northeastern part of the country.

"No concrete proposals for the safe zone have emerged yet. We are also discussing this with the Russians while trying to coordinate with the Americans," he said.

In December, former President Trump surprised his national security team with the decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, asserting that the Islamic State had been defeated.

Turkey aims to create the safe zone with logistical support from its allies, asserting it should be devoid of the U.S.-backed YPG militia. Cavusoglu reiterated that the safe zone cannot serve as protection for the group.

"It is crucial to clarify what we understand by a safe zone. If the intention is to create a buffer zone that shelters terrorists, we oppose it," he asserted.

Cavusoglu also mentioned that a task force has been established between the United States and Turkey specifically to manage issues related to the U.S. withdrawal from Syria. "We have created this mechanism to ensure that the process is conducted in coordination and without complications," he stated.