Turkish, US military chiefs discuss Syria and Iraq operations

The heads of the Turkish and US. armed forces discussed joint strategies against Daesh in Syria and Iraq during a meeting in Ankara on Sunday, the Turkish military said in a statement.

Turkish chief of general staff Hulusi Akar met his US. counterpart Joseph Dunford hours after US.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) launched an operation to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from Daesh.

“Joint combat methods against Daesh in Syria and Iraq, namely al-Bab and Raqqa, were discussed for the coming days,” the statement said, referring to two Syrian cities.

The two military chiefs also discussed the actions of the Kurdish YPG, a group backed by the United States but seen as a hostile force by Turkey, in Syria and Iraq and the risks of sectarian clashes in the region, the Turkish statement said.