Turkey calls for removal of US anti-IS coalition chief
May 18, 2017
Brett McGurk - a special presidential envoy and a holdover from the former President Barack Obama's administration - has been part of the global coalition, which has 68 members, since its early days in 2014, during which time the coalition has reduced territory under the control of the Islamic State (IS).
He is seen by Ankara as having a close working relationship with the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which are regarded as having fought effectively against IS. He visited the Kurdish group's territory in northern Syria this week.
Read more: The Middle East's complex Kurdish landscape
The US decided to arm and equip the YPG inside Syria as it moves to take the city of Raqqa from IS in a move that angered Ankara.
Cavusoglu accused McGurk of supporting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a militant group inside Turkey fighting the government as part of a 30-year plus insurgency over minority rights, Cavusoglu told the broadcaster NTV.
The PKK is listed by both Washington and Ankara as a terrorist organization.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the White House this week, but appeared unable to alter President Donald Trump's plan to work with the YPG on the fight for Raqqa, IS's de facto capital.
The YPG said it is separate from the PKK and insisted it does not want conflict with Ankara.
jbh/sms (dpa, AP)