US-Turkish partnership strong amid reports Ankara targeted Kurds in Syria

The United States and Turkey remain strong partners in the anti-Daesh coalition despite claims from Ankara that it targeted and killed hundreds of Kurdish coalition members in Syria, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during a press conference Thursday, Sputnik reports.

"We’re still gathering facts about this report…so I can’t comment on that or confirm that, but our partnership in general is very strong. We work through issues as they arise," Carter told reporters.

Carter said he would likely discuss the incident with his Turkish counterpart, Defense Minister Fikri Isik, during upcoming meetings in Turkey and France.