The Turkish ambassador to the United States said in an interview that the U.S. would regret its support for Kurdish fighters in Syria, and referred to that support as a strategic mistake. According to the Washington Post, the ambassador’s comments were made in response to calls from the U.S. for Turkey to stop shelling Kurdish fighters in Syria and for both groups to focus on fighting the Islamic State. Kurdish militias have proven effective in countering Islamic State forces in the past, which resulted in the U.S. providing them with support. However, Turkey views them as terrorists, and finds that support to be problematic. Presently, tensions are flaring around attempts by the Kurds to take the town of Azaz, which is both strategically important for fighters in Syria and close to the Turkish border.
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