Turkish soldiers prepare their armored vehicles near the Syrian-Turkish border at Reyhanli district in Hatay, Turkey, on Jan. 21, 2018. Turkish ground troops entered Syria's Afrin Sunday on the second day of an offensive against U.S-backed Kurdish militia which should be wrapped up soon, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Xinhua Photo)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said Friday discussions between the militaries of the United States and Turkey on Syria would continue next week, expecting the result of discussions would be acceptable on both sides.
Bolton said in an interview that the military environment in northern Syria was "very complex", warning that Turkey should not take any military action that is not fully coordinated through military to military channels with the United States.
Bolton held tense talks with Turkish officials over Syria on Tuesday in Ankara, while being snubbed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over his remarks on the Kurdish militants after Washington's planned military withdrawal from Syria.
Before arriving in Turkey, Bolton irritated the Turkish government by saying the U.S. pullout is based on Turkey's promise to ensure the safety of the Kurdish militia, an ally of the U.S. forces in defeating the Islamic State.
Turkey cannot accept Bolton's recent comments regarding Syrian Kurdish militia, Erdogan said on Tuesday, reiterating Turkey's determination to eliminate "terror corridor" in northern Syria.
Trump's announcement of pulling the 2,000 troops out of Syria has raised expectations that Turkey could launch a military operation targeting the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a terrorist group with links to Kurdish separatists in Turkey.
Some U.S. military ground equipment had been withdrawn from Syria in recent days, U.S. media reported on Thursday.
Trump said earlier this week that U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Syria "at a proper pace," while at the same time continuing the fight against the Islamic State.
