John Kirby said that the explosion in Ankara was clearly a terrorist attack, clearly taking innocent lives. “Turkey, like every other nation around the world that is under the threat of terrorist attacks, has every right to try to do what it has to do to protect its people from those attacks. With respect to the cross-border tensions, we asked the YPG to show restraint. We also asked Turkey to stop shelling across the border,” said Kirby.

Kirby added that the Kurdish fighters have been some of the most effective fighters against Daesh, and they have been supported by the air from the coalition. “And going forward, I would expect that that sort of support - where and when appropriate, as before would continue. We’ve also been clear with Kurdish fighters that – about the fact that we view this acquisition of additional territory, particularly in and around that airbase, to be counterproductive to the fight against Daesh. There should be no doubt that the United States has and wants to continue to enjoy a close working relationship with Turkey, which is a NATO ally and a key contributor to the coalition effort against Daesh. This isn’t about equality between a nation-state and effective, brave Kurdish fighters on the other side in Syria,” he said.

Kirby said the U.S. understands and appreciates the concerns that the Turkish Government continues to express about these groups, and we’re going to continue to have that conversation with them. “We’ve been clear that we don’t support some sort of semi-autonomous zone for Kurds there in Syria,” he noted.

John Kirby said Washington was not in a position to either confirm or deny Turkey`s charge the YPG was behind the attack.

On Wednesday, at least 28 people were killed and 61 injured in an explosion targeting military vehicles in central Ankara. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the explosion was committed by YPG, which is the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).

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