Erdogan, Merkel discuss Turkey's military incursion in Syria during phone call

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he discussed the ongoing Turkish military incursion in Syria with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a phone conversation on Sunday.

"We had a discussion on the phone today with the chancellor," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul, revealing that he expressed displeasure at Germany's decision to halt arms export to Turkey over its military operation in northern Syria.

Calling Germany's approach towards the Turkish offensive as "bizarre," the Turkish leader said he asked Merkel "whether Germany is siding with a terrorist organization against a NATO ally, Turkey."

Erdogan was referring to the People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers as the Syrian offshoot of Turkey's Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The Turkish military operation, which started Wednesday, has been criticized by European nations and some of them, including Germany and France, have suspended arms sale to Turkey.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)