WASHINGTON

The US and Türkiye are maintaining an open line of communication as being two NATO allies, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

“There was an acknowledgment of Türkiye's legitimate security concerns as it related to the recent terrorist attack," spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.

His remarks came after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler held a phone call Tuesday to discuss bilateral and regional defense and security issues, including the terrorist attack last week by the PKK on Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) headquarters in the capital Ankara in which five people were killed and 22 wounded.

Stressing that the US views the PKK as a terrorist organization, Ryder said: I think the headline here is that the two leaders remained committed to keeping an open line of communication and supporting one another, particularly as it relates to being two valued NATO allies and partners.”

The US has "good coordination, good communication" with its Turkish allies, he said, adding: "We'll continue to do that going forward."