U.S. And Turkish Top Diplomats Discuss 'Need To Coordinate And De-conflict Activities'

Washington D.C./07.10.23/Turan:  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday spoke with Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan by phone, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"The Secretary and the Foreign Minister underscored that the United States and Türkiye share a common objective of defeating terrorist threats. Regardless of where the threats are based—in Syria, Iraq, or elsewhere—they undermine the security of the United States, Türkiye, and our Allies," the State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a readout of the call.

"The Secretary highlighted the need to coordinate and deconflict our activities," Miller added.

The move comes just a say after U.S. fighter jets shot down a Turkish drone armed with air-to-ground missiles. The drone was deemed a threat to American troops and Syrian Democratic Forces at the Tal Baydar base.

On Friday, Turkish warplanes bombed sites believed to be used by a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in Syria, targeting about 30 sites, destroying bunkers, caves, shelters and warehouses in three regions that Ankara said were used by the PKK and an allied militia.

Alex Raufoglu