WASHINGTON –Here’s a look at what’s going on in the State Department with countries around the world on Tuesday:
Somalia: State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said that a U.S. military plane landed in Mogadishu on Tuesday to distribute aid to hospitals and trauma centers. Nauert said that two U.S. citizens were killed in Saturday attacks in which multiple truck bomb explosions killed at least 300 people in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Turkey: After two U.S. consular staff members were arrested and detained by Turkish officials in recent weeks for terrorism-related offenses, Nauert criticized Turkish officials Tuesday, saying they have provided no evidence of any crimes committed by the locally employed staff.
Nauert added that Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs?Jonathan Cohen will be in Turkey this week and will raise the issue with local officials.
Nauert also said that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu?about the issue last week.
When asked if the U.S. still considers Turkey to be an ally, Nauert said that this incident complicates matters.
“As a strong NATO ally – as a NATO partner – we hope we get through this,” she said.
Syria: Nauert said that ISIS is rapidly losing control of its “so-called” caliphate. She revealed that intelligence indicates that the city of Raqqa is now 90 percent liberated.
She said that the U.S. will continue to support Syrian democratic forces to pressure ISIS.
Nauert also added that while the U.S. will assist and take the lead in bringing back water and electricity to the region, the State Department eventually would like local officials to take over.
North Korea: Nauert reiterated earlier critiques of North Korea, saying that it is not interested in sitting down for any kind of talks right now. While maintaining that diplomacy is the preferred approach for the U.S., she said it’s up to North Korea to show it want sto return to credible negotiations.
Nauert said that one way to ease tensions would be to “stop doing those illegal nuclear and ballistic missile tests.”