US to seek NATO measures over ‘egregious’ Turkey actions in Syria

Washington (AFP) – US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday he would ask NATO allies to punish Turkey for its invasion of northeast Syria, accusing Ankara of causing the release of dangerous Islamic State detainees.

“This unacceptable incursion has also undermined the successful multinational ‘Defeat ISIS’ mission in Syria, and resulted in the release of many dangerous ISIS detainees,” Esper said in a statement.

Esper said he would travel to NATO headquarters in Brussels next week to ask allies “to take collective and individual diplomatic and economic measures in response to these egregious Turkish actions.”