Turkey's presidential aide says U.S. intel collaboration insufficient

Duvar English

Turkey lacks sufficient support from its allies, including the United States, Turkey's Presidential Aide İbrahim Kalın said in a press briefing on Feb. 6.

The U.S. is nonetheless pursuing its intelligence support to Turkey Kalın said, refuting claims that the collaboration had ended.

"Intelligence collaboration is ongoing in Iraq, Syria and other fields but if you ask whether it's enough, I can't say it is. We are not receiving enough support from our allies, primarily the U.S.," Kalın said.

The presidential aide noted that Turkey is also partaking in the Berlin peace process for Libya and in the efforts led by the United Nations.

Russian military committee to visit Ankara

A military committee from Russia, which signed the Sochi agreement, will visit Ankara as discussed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 5, Kalın said.

"The main parameters are that everything be done to assure our troops's safety and that our current observation points remain in their place," Kalın said.

In accordance with the Sochi Memorandum, Turkish troops are patrolling the "safe zone" in Northern Syria, but on Feb. 3, shelling from troops of Russian-ally Syria killed eight military personnel from Turkey.

'Any wrong moves from the regime will have severe consequences'

The Syrian government has been violating the terms of the ceasefire, Kalın said, adding that it was a priority for Ankara that Syrian forces retrieve.

"Any wrong moves they take under the guise of anti-terror efforts will have severe consequences," Kalın added.