Türkiye asks US to cede base in Syria
At talks in Ankara during a visit by US National Security Adviser John Bolton, Türkiye called on Washington to cede its military bases in Syria or destroy them, Hurriyet newspaper said on January 8.
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| US soldiers in Syria. Photo: Reuters |
Türkiye strongly opposes the transfer of 22 US bases in Syria to Kurdish military units after its troops withdraw from the country, according to unnamed sources.
Bolton held talks in Ankara with Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin, an adviser and press secretary. The content of the conversation was not disclosed. A previously announced press conference with the participation of both sides was canceled.
President Donald Trump in mid-December 2018 declared victory over IS in Syria, noting that this was the sole reason for the US military presence in the country.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later announced that the United States had begun withdrawing troops from Syria, but victory over IS did not mean the dissolution of the coalition.
