Turkey has announced that the ceasefire in Syria that was brokered by the U.S. and Russia does not apply to Turkish forces if there is a present threat to Turkey’s security. Reuters reports that these statements were made primarily due to Turkish distrust of the YPG and other Kurdish militia groups that are currently active in Syria – as well as fears that the Islamic State could exploit the ceasefire to launch attacks. The ceasefire agreement does not extend to terrorist groups, but the status of the YPG highlights the degree to which the terrorist label is subject to interpretation – as Turkey views the YPG as terrorists whereas the U.S. sees them as valuable allies in Syria.
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