World

The Latest: Kurd pol: France should strengthen role in Syria

21 of December 2018

In this April 4, 2018 photo, a U.S. soldier waves as he sits on an armored vehicle, at a road leading to the tense front line with Turkish-backed fighters, in Manbij town, north Syria. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria has rattled Washington's Kurdish allies, who are its most reliable partner in Syria and among the most effective ground forces battling the Islamic State group. Kurds in northern Syria said commanders and fighters met into the night, discussing their response to the surprise announcement Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla),In this April 4, 2018 photo, a U.S. soldier waves as he sits on an armored vehicle, at a road leading to the tense front line with Turkish-backed fighters, in Manbij town, north Syria. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria has rattled Washington's Kurdish allies, who are its most reliable partner in Syria and among the most effective ground forces battling the Islamic State group. Kurds in northern Syria said commanders and fighters met into the night, discussing their response to the surprise announcement Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

BERLIN (AP) — The Latest on developments in and related to Syria (all times local):

2:10 p.m.

A senior Kurdish politician has called on France to play a stronger role in Syria following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.

Ilham Ahmed also says France as a NATO member has a moral obligation to prevent Turkey from attacking Kurds.

Ahmed was in Paris on Friday as part of a delegation for talks on the planned U.S. military withdrawal from Syria as well as Turkey’s threats to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria.

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Ahmed said the Kurds may have to withdraw from the front lines with the Islamic State group in eastern Syria to deploy along the Turkish border following Turkish threats.

President Donald Trump’s abrupt call on U.S. troops to leave Syria has left America’s only allies in the country in the lurch

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1:35 p.m.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says his country welcomes the decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

Cavusoglu spoke Friday during a visit to Malta in comments that were broadcast on Turkish television. His comments were the first official reaction to the U.S. decision to pull troops out.

The minister spoke of a need to coordinate the withdrawal with the United States and said all countries need to be vigilant toward the remnants of the Islamic State group.

He also warned that the withdrawal should not create a vacuum that could be filled by terrorist groups.

Cavusoglu said the international community needs to focus on a “political process” for the future of Syria.

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1:15 p.m.

The German government says it wasn’t consulted by Washington before the United States announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.

Government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer told reporters in Berlin on Friday that Berlin would have appreciated prior consultations.

Demmer said the U.S. decision could affect the dynamics of the conflict, adding that “much remains to be done” for a final victory over the Islamic State group.

She said the United States is an “important ally” but declined to say whether Germany considers it a “reliable” one, too.

German Defense Ministry spokesman Jens Flosdorff said the decision has no immediate impact on Germany’s aerial surveillance missions over Syria.