US, Turkey agree on Manbij road map, but when will they get there?
Ankara is pleased with Washington’s endorsement of a plan to rid Manbij of YPG fighters, but many questions remain and the plan’s implementation could take time.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is pleased with the results of his talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on June 4.
Taken at face value, Ankara seems to have scored something of a diplomatic success by convincing Washington to come around to its position regarding the presence of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the northern Syrian city of Manbij. This will also provide a welcome boost to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party ahead of the crucial presidential and parliamentary elections June 24. However, many questions about the deal struck by Ankara and Washington remain.
