ANKARA – Turkey on Friday warned Washington that any meeting with theleader of a US-backed Syrian Kurdish-led force risked “legitimisingterrorists”.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had talked with Mazlum Abdi,commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which fought againstextremists in Syria, and that he had “really enjoyed” the conversation.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Trump thanked Mazlum and said: “I look forward toseeing you soon”, raising fears in Turkey of a possible face-to-facemeeting between the two men in the United States.
“If you start legitimising terrorists like this, tomorrow you will end upmeeting with Baghdadi as well,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglusaid in televised remarks.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is the head of the militant Islamic State (IS)extremist group.
“It is not acceptable for our allies to meet with a terrorist wanted undera red notice,” Cavusoglu told reporters in Baku.
“We have informed the US of all of this in a written note,” the ministeradded.
Turkey says there is an Interpol red notice for Abdi, which Turkish NTVbroadcaster reported had been issued in 2011.
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A group of American senators including Lindsey Graham earlier this weekurged the US State Department to expedite a visa for Abdi to enable a visitwhere he can speak to officials and lawmakers on the situation on theground in Syria.
Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul earlier on Friday said if Abdientered the US, “because there is a red bulletin, because there is anarrest warrant…, this person should be caught, arrested and extradited toTurkey.”
Gul told reporters in the Turkish border town of Akcakale that Turkishdiplomats had contacted their US counterparts to remind them that Abdi wasa wanted individual.
Relations between Turkey and the US are particularly tense after Ankaralaunched a cross-border offensive on October 9 against the Kurdish YPGmilitia, whose fighters make up the bulk of the SDF.
But there have also been strains over Washington’s failure to extraditeMuslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of ordering the 2016failed coup. which Gulen has denied. -APP/AFP
