Turkey denies Nusra 'kidnap' reports

ANKARA

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has denied claims that the country helped al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, the al-Nusra Front, which is accused of kidnapping several U.S.-backed Syrian fighters last month.

"It is a deliberate and vicious slander … claiming that Turkey has a relationship with an organization which was declared as 'terrorist'," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic on Wednesday.

Bilgic said any article claiming that Turkey was involved in the kidnapping was a "fiction".

In response to the report, the White House welcomed Turkey's "important contribution" to efforts to combat Daesh. 

"There is an ongoing effort right now at the Department of Defense to capitalize on the commitment that Turkey has made to conduct air operations against ISIL, and the Department of Defense is working to integrate their capabilities into the broader anti-ISIL air campaign," spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. 

Earnest added that the U.S. is "working closely" with Turkey to "completely secure the long land border between Turkey and Syria".

Al-Nusra Front twice attacked an encampment of “Division 30” rebels in northwestern Syria last month, capturing several fighters from the moderate group, including a Division 30 commander.

The Division 30 group, which incorporates U.S. trainees, said in a statement on social media that seven of its fighters were later released by the al-Nusra Front.

The train-and-equip program, jointly organized by the U.S. and coalition partners, is intended to help prepare Syrian opposition fighters in the campaign against Daesh. It is part of an agreement signed by the U.S. and Turkey on Feb. 17 to allow up to 1,000 U.S. troops to participate in the training in Turkey.