U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) on Tuesday urged Turkey to work with the Kurds.
“Turkey’s decision to assist the fight against ISIL is a positive step in the right direction. The use of Turkish bases for US fighter aircraft will improve response times and increase the opportunity to collect intelligence in Syria,” he said.
“The establishment of a humanitarian zone to protect the moderate Syrian opposition as well as ethnic and religious minorities such as the Kurds against Assad, ISIL, al Nusrah, and other violent extremists is consistent with what we have been advocating for over three years,” he added.
However, he expressed concerns over reports that Turkish forces have been shelling the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the most effective ground force against IS in Syria.
“However, we are concerned about reports of Turkish forces shelling Kurdish villages inside Syria. As the United States and Turkey enhance our cooperation against ISIL, we believe these mutual efforts will be most effective in collaboration with local forces on the ground, including the Kurds,” he said.
The Republican Senator called on the US president and Turkey to form a coordination strategy to end the war.
“Our ineffective approach to Syria and Iraq continues to allow mayhem and violence to spread across the region, putting our allies in greater danger and fostering the conditions for an attack on the United States,” he said
