In its 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP), the U.S. State Department said Turkey provided “tangible support” to the Sultan Murad Division in Syria. Ankara has long given support to the group, which Washington says uses child soldiers.

“We regret that our efforts are trying to be obscured by the mention of efforts from some NGOs of dubious reliability and their groundless assumptions,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“We fully reject the attributing responsibility to Turkey regarding military recruitment of children. Turkey is party to main international mechanisms on the protection of children rights, including those within the UN system, and has a clean record in this field,” it added.

“With respect to Turkey in particular...this is the first time a NATO member has been listed on the child soldier prevention act list,” a State Department official said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Reporter's code: 50101