The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs today invited the US Ambassador to Turkey to express their indignation at the visit of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces USA in the north-east Syria over the weekend, according to diplomatic sources.

Ankara demanded an explanation from US Ambassador Jeff Flake regarding the unexpected visit of General Mark Milli to northeast Syria, which took place on Saturday, March 4.

Milli, the army chief of staff, made a surprise visit to a US base in northeast Syria on Saturday to assess the US mission that has been deployed in the region for almost eight years to fight the Islamic State, as well as to check the safety valves that protect the US soldiers from possible attacks.

The visit also provoked a reaction from Damascus, which condemned the Syrian Foreign Ministry, calling it “illegal” and citing a “blatant violation” of the country’s sovereignty.

^{According to ANADOLU, REUTERS, APE-MPE}