US Envoy in Contact With Iraqi Military, Syria Personnel After Turkish Raids

US-led coalition envoy Brett McGurk stated that he is in regular contact with the Iraqi military as well as personnel on the ground in Syria after the recent Turkish airstrikes.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US-led coalition envoy Brett McGurk said on Wednesday he is in regular contact with the Iraqi military as well as personnel on the ground in Syria after the Turkish raids on Tuesday morning.

"In regular contact with counterparts in Iraq and our military personnel in Syria following the reports of [Turkish] airstrikes Monday night," McGurk said in a Twitter message.

In regular contact with counterparts in #Iraq and our military personnel in #Syria following the reports of TR airstrikes Monday night. 1/2

— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) April 26, 2017

​On Tuesday, Turkish jets struck positions in northern Syria and Iraq of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the military branch of Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).

About 70 Kurdish fighters were killed as a result of the airstrikes, according to the Turkish general staff.

Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday that the coalition was "deeply concerned" about the Turkish actions. The spokesperson underscored that Ankara cannot pursue the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it considers a terror group, at the expense of fighting the Islamic State (banned in Russia).