Ankara proposes joint US-Turkish presence in Syria's Manbij

Turkish officials have reportedly proposed to the US that the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) withdraw from Syria's Manbij and US and Turkish troops be stationed there together.

The US is reportedly considering the proposal, which was made to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his multi-country Middle East tour, Turkish officials told Reuters.

Tillerson arrived in Turkey on Thursday for what was widely expected to be difficult talks. US-Turkish relations have deteriorated over US support for the Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara considers a terror group.

Tillerson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met for three hours in what a State Department spokesman called "productive and open" dialogue.

Last month, Ankara launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin to drive out the YPG from the province, which borders Turkey.

Turkish officials have warned they will extend their incursion in Syria to nearby Manbij, another area where Kurdish forces are based.

Up to 2,000 US troops are already stationed in Manbij, and a Turkish incursion into the area could risk conflict between the two NATO members.

In January, US President Donald Trump phoned Erdogan and "urged Turkey to de-escalate".

"Our relations are at a very critical point. They will either be fixed or these ties will be completely damaged," said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, ahead of Tillerson's visit to the region.