“We believe that Turkey, our partner in NATO, has every right to protect itself from the risk that was created,” he said during a briefing with reporters.

Live now! Watch @SecPompeo deliver remarks to the media. https://t.co/abgWXuP2O1

- Department of State (@StateDept) March 5, 2020

According to Pompeo, the risk for Turkey in Syria is created by the regime of the current president Bashar al-Assad, the Russian and Iranian military.

Earlier, the State Department blamed Moscow, Tehran and Damascus for exacerbating the situation in Syria.