Erdogan Accuses US Coalition of Financially Supporting ISIS in Syria

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Washington of sponsoring the Daesh terrorist group as well as failing to fulfill the promise to withdraw Syrian Kurdish forces from the Syrian regions liberated from Daesh militants.

“They [the US] said they were fighting Daesh, but what did they do instead? Gave Daesh a load of dollars… We do not want to enter into an allied relationship with them on Afrin. The United States has constantly violated our agreements. In Manbij, in Raqqa. When we offered to work there together, they promised that not a single member of the PYD [Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party] would remain there, don’t worry,” said Erdogan, expressing deep disappointment over the US’ non-compliance with the agreements reached.

Ankara does not want to be allied with the US on the Syrian border area of Afrin, controlled by Syrian Kurdish groups, since Washington “does not keep its word,” according to Erdogan.

Previously, Turkish president warned that Ankara would not allow a “terrorist corridor” on its southern border with Syria and hinted at a possible offensive in Afrin.

The statement came in the wake of an an agreement reached by Turkey and Russia on a joint plan of action on the city of Afrin, which, according to Erdogan, “opened up new opportunities” for Turkey to take necessary steps.