ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Dozens of demonstrators have marched to a building where the top U.S. and Turkish diplomats are seeking to ease some of the worst tensions in years between the two NATO allies.

The group, waving Turkish flags, protested U.S. support to Syrian Kurdish militia, known as the People's Protection Units, or YPG, as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara Friday.

Turkey is riled over Washington's support to the YPG — the top U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State group. Turkey considers them a "terrorist" group linked to Kurdish rebels fighting inside Turkey.

The talks were to focus on Washington's plan to continue providing the Kurdish militants with assistance and Turkey's military operation in a Syrian Kurdish-controlled enclave in northern Syria.