Turkey rejects U.S. list that implicates Ankara with use of child soldiers

The United States on Thursday added Turkey to the list, placing a NATO ally for the first time in such a list, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington.

Turkey rejected on Friday the U.S. decision to add Ankara to the list of governments implicated with use of child soldiers over the past year, calling the move hypocritical. "A striking example of hypocrisy and double standards as the U.S. openly aids, provides weapons to (Kurdish militant groups) PKK/YPG that forcibly recruits children," a statement by the foreign ministry said.

The Turkish foreign ministry said it was "grotesque" that the list did not mention Kurdish militant groups, which have been fighting an insurgence against Turkey for over 40 years. The U.S. sees the YPG as a key ally in the fight against Islamic State. The United States on Thursday added Turkey to the list, placing a NATO ally for the first time in such a list, in a move that is likely to further complicate the already fraught ties between Ankara and Washington.