President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized U.S. support of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, at a speech to members of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on Tuesday.

“The U.S. decision to provide financial support to the YPG will affect Turkey's decisions. The support will allegedly reach $3 billion,” Erdoğan said.

He added that "all truths will be discussed" when U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits Turkey this week.

Pentagon seeks to invest $550M in PYD/PKK The Pentagon on Monday requested $300 million to train and equip the PYD/PKK terror group that goes by the name of the SDF, and wants nearly as much to build the terror group-led “border security force” in Syria.The military’s budget proposal for 2019 also contains $850 million for train-and-equip activities in Iraq to counter-Daesh."The training, equipment, and operations support in this request will consolidate the gains achieved against [Daesh] and prevent its reemergence," according to the proposal submitted to Congress.The Pentagon wants $1.4 billion for fiscal year 2019, an amount that is slightly less than its 2018 budget at $1.8 billion.The U.S.-led coalition, officially known as Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), last month said it was creating a 30,000-strong border security force in northern Syria along Turkey's border.After strong objection by Turkey, the Pentagon appeared to back off somewhat of the plans for the Border Security Force, comprised of local security forces trained in Syria, saying the U.S.-led coalition is training the PKK/PYD-led SDF as a "stabilization” and “hold force".But to the contrary, the Pentagon still plans to establish and fund the group, according to the budget proposal that asks for “$250 million for border security requirements related to the counter-[Daesh] mission" in Syria.The U.S. has supported the PKK/PYD under the name of the SDF that is considered by Ankara to be the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror group that has waged a more than 30-year brutal war against the Turkish state.American support for the terror group has long vexed Ankara as Washington views the SDF as a "reliable partner" in its fight against Daesh and continues to provide it with arms and equipment in the face of strong objections by Turkey.US presence in Syria is a 'direct threat' to Turkey, says İbrahim KaragülSec Def Mattis admits that PYD/PKK mobilizes in AfrinThe first budget proposal prepared by the Pentagon for fiscal year 2018 required $606 billion, the budget for fiscal year 2019 increased $80 billion to $686 billion.Following appropriations, Congress increased the FY2018 budget from $606 billion to $692 billion. Considering the rise in this year's budget the FY2019 defense budget is expected to hit $800 billion.In addition, the Pentagon's overseas contingency operations budget, also known as the war fund, has been increased from $65.8 billion to $89 billion in the 2019 budget proposal.

The Pentagon requested $300 million on Monday to train and equip the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the umbrella group for the PYD/PKK terror group, and wants nearly as much to build the “border security force” made up of PYD terrorists in Syria.

“Nobody has the right to use Daesh as an excuse. The Daesh play in Syria, and Iraq has come to an end,” said Erdoğan.

Early on Tuesday, Tillerson said the end of major combat operations against Daesh does not mean the U.S. and its allies have achieved an enduring defeat against Daesh.

US ‘keenly aware’ of Turkey’s security concerns: Tillerson The U.S. remains concerned over recent events in northwest Syria, and is “keenly aware” of Turkey’s security concerns, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday.Tillerson's remarks came amid Turkey's ongoing Operation Olive Branch, which was initiated on Jan. 20 in Syria's Afrin to establish security and stability, eliminate terrorists of PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh, and save locals from the terrorists’ oppression and cruelty.Over 1,400 terrorists neutralized in Afrin operationCombat against DaeshThe end of major combat operations against Daesh does not mean the U.S. and its allies have achieved an enduring defeat of the terrorist group, said Tillerson during a meeting in Kuwait of the global coalition against Daesh.Tillerson also stated that Washington had decided to provide an additional $200 million of aid to stabilize liberated areas in Syria.

“Of course, we will not purposefully target them [U.S.], but starting from the terrorists who stand beside them, we will destroy every terrorist we come across. Then they will understand that it would be better if they weren’t beside the terrorists whom they pat on the back,” Erdoğan said.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 in Syria’s Afrin to establish security and stability, eliminate PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terrorists, and save locals from their oppression and cruelty.

"It is quite clear that those who say they will retaliate if we strike have never had an Ottoman slap," said Erdoğan.

In a veiled message to Turkey, Lt. Gen. Paul Funk, the overall Global Coalition Against Daesh commander, had said: “You hit us, we will respond aggressively. We will defend ourselves.”

Over 1,400 terrorists neutralized in Afrin operation A total of 1,439 PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terrorists have been "neutralized" since the launch of Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin region, the military said on Tuesday.Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said Turkish Armed Forces' overnight airstrikes neutralized 70 terrorists on Monday.On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terrorists from Afrin in northwestern Syria.According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from oppression and cruelty of terrorists.The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

The U.S has supplied the YPG/PYD terror organization with more than 5,000 truckloads of weapons to allegedly use in the fight against Daesh, despite Ankara’s warnings that the group is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization.

It is wrong to say NATO equals U.S.

Erdoğan called on the U.S. to abide by its NATO obligations.

"What kind of NATO membership is this? What kind of NATO alliance is this?" he asked.

"As president of Turkey, [I say] NATO is not equal to the U.S., all countries [in the alliance] are equals to the U.S."

Cyprus should not overstep the mark after ship incident

Erdoğan called on Cyprus not to overstep the mark in the eastern Mediterranean, after Greek Cypriots accused the Turkish military of obstructing a vessel exploring for natural gas over the weekend.

“Those who crossed their limits in Cyprus and the Aegean Sea should not make any miscalculation,” Erdoğan said.

Erdoğan said Turkish warships and security units were monitoring developments in the region.