Turkey tells U.S. it should give up on building observation posts in Syria - Anadolu

Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and Italy's Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta pose for a family photo during a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told U.S. Syria envoy Jim Jeffrey that the United States should give up on building observation posts in Syria, state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Friday.

The United States is setting up "observation posts" along parts of the border between Turkey and Syria to help keep the focus on defeating Islamic State militants in Syria, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said last month.