U.S. defense chief urges Turkey to stay focused on anti-IS fight

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Monday urged the Turkish troops not to fight Syrian Kurds in northern Syria, warning that their conflict with the Kurdish forces would hinder efforts to defeat the Islamic State (IS).

"We have called upon Turkey to stay focused on the fight against the ISIL and not to engage Syrian defense forces," said Carter here at a press conference, referring to another acronym of IS.

The Turkish foreign minister said Monday that the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Syrian group linked to the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), would remain targeted until it retreats to east of Euphrates River.

The YPG, a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, had reportedly been a partner in the U.S.-led campaign against the IS in Syria.

The conflicts between Pentagon's feuding allies came at a time when the U.S.-led coalition was scrambling to forge a united front against the IS.

"We've called on both sides to not fight with one another, to continue to focus the fight on ISIL," said Carter. "That's the basis of our cooperation with both of them. And specifically, not to engage one another and to retain those geographic commitments that they've made." Enditem