The United States added Turkey to its list of countries are implicated in the use of child soldiers over the past year, placing a NATO ally for the first time in such a list.
Washington’s decision is expected to further complicate its already strained relations with Ankara.
In its Annual Report on Human Trafficking (TIP), the State Department stated Turkey had provided “tangible support” to Sultan Murad’s division in Syria, a longtime Syrian opposition organization backed by Ankara.
Washington, however, said the group was recruiting and using child soldiers.
A State Department senior official, speaking to reporters, also referred to the use of child soldiers in Libya, adding that Washington hoped to work with Ankara to address the issue.
“With respect to Turkey in particular (…) this is the first time a NATO member has been listed in the child soldier prevention act list,” the US official explained.
“As a respected regional leader and member of NATO, Turkey has the opportunity to address this issue — the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Syria and Libya,” he added.
Turkey has carried out three military operations against Islamic State in Syria and US-backed Kurds in the region.
It has frequently used factions of armed Syrian fighters on top of its own forces
Some of these groups are accused by human rights organizations and the United Nations of launching indiscriminate attacks on civilians, kidnappings and looting.
The United Nations has asked Ankara to curb these Syrian rebels, but Turkey has denied the allegations, calling them “baseless.”
Turkey is also involved in the Libyan war. With Ankara’s support, the previous government (GNA) repulsed an attack by General Khalifa Haftar’s forces seeking to occupy Tripoli. The forces of eastern Libya were supported by Egypt and Russia.
Countries on the list are subject to restrictions, according to a State Department report, on security assistance and the sale of military equipment, unless excluded by presidential decree.
It is unclear whether these restrictions will automatically be imposed on Turkey.
It is also unclear whether its inclusion on this list will have any impact on the ongoing negotiations for Ankara to take over the security of Kabul airport after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
Source: ANA-MPA