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A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Syria declined to answer questions Wednesday on who controls the northeastern town of Tal Abyad.
On Tuesday, the Turkish military shelled positions of the YPG, the Syrian branch of the PKK terrorist organization, in the town.
Cmdr. Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesperson, called on all parties to avoid escalation and focus on the most important task of defeating Daesh.
When asked by Anadolu Agency who was in control in Tal Abyad, Col. Sean J. Ryan, spokesman for the U.S.-led Combined Joint Task Force, replied: "The Coalition works through the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF], and they decide the troop movements and plans."
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will pay an official visit to Qatar on Thursday.During the two-day visit, Çavuşoğlu will meet with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.“During the meetings, bilateral relations with Qatar as well as the latest regional developments will be discussed and preparations for the fourth meeting of the Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee will be reviewed,” the statement added.
Turkish FM to visit Qatar
When asked about the latest situation in the town and whether the forces there are SDF members, Ryan replied with a statement from the SDF which demanded that coalition members stop Turkish shelling of the region.
Asked who is currently controlling Tal Abyad, if it was the YPG or SDF, the spokesman said he did not have a "current update" on the town.
Ryan also did not respond when asked to disclose who the forces were in Tal Abyad that were targeted by Turkish shelling.
On Sunday, the Turkish military hit PKK/YPG positions in the Zor Magar region east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.