ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The spokesman for the US Operation Inherent Resolve military campaign against ISIS says he believes the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are capable of capturing the city of Raqqa from the militant group.
“We do believe that they have the expertise,” Col. John Dorrian told reporters on Thursday during a press conference.
“They were very successful in development a plan for the liberation of Manbij,” he said, “And we believe that certainly, with coalition help, they can do the same in Raqqa.”
The SDF, which is led by the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, successfully laid siege to the city of Manbij and captured it after an offensive which lasted nearly three months.
However, Dorrian stressed the need for more Arab fighters to join the ranks of this operation ahead of this large-scale operation to liberate Raqqa, a Sunni Arab city which might not be welcoming to a large Kurdish force assaulting it, even if just to remove ISIS.
“There is an intent to enlarge the force, and in particular, the Arab contingent of the force because we do understand that Raqqa is primarily an Arab city,” Dorrian explained.
“We intend to train as many of them as we possibly can,” he added.
The SDF has said it will not fight for Raqqa if Turkey participates.
“The Syrian Democratic Forces are the only force that will take part in the operation to liberate Raqqa and we informed the [US-led] coalition forces that we reject any Turkish role in the Raqqa liberation operation,” Talal Silo, the SDF spokesman, told Reuters on Thursday.
Turkey is also staunchly opposed to any SDF/YPG participation in the Raqqa operation.
Last week (October 27) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will help the US to capture Raqqa provided Washington excludes the YPG.
“We do not need terrorist organizations like the PYD [Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party] and YPG in the Raqqa operation. Let us work together to sweep Daesh [ISIS] from Raqqa,” Erdogan told Obama in a phone call.
“We do believe that they have the expertise,” Col. John Dorrian told reporters on Thursday during a press conference.
“They were very successful in development a plan for the liberation of Manbij,” he said, “And we believe that certainly, with coalition help, they can do the same in Raqqa.”
The SDF, which is led by the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, successfully laid siege to the city of Manbij and captured it after an offensive which lasted nearly three months.
However, Dorrian stressed the need for more Arab fighters to join the ranks of this operation ahead of this large-scale operation to liberate Raqqa, a Sunni Arab city which might not be welcoming to a large Kurdish force assaulting it, even if just to remove ISIS.
“There is an intent to enlarge the force, and in particular, the Arab contingent of the force because we do understand that Raqqa is primarily an Arab city,” Dorrian explained.
“We intend to train as many of them as we possibly can,” he added.
The SDF has said it will not fight for Raqqa if Turkey participates.
“The Syrian Democratic Forces are the only force that will take part in the operation to liberate Raqqa and we informed the [US-led] coalition forces that we reject any Turkish role in the Raqqa liberation operation,” Talal Silo, the SDF spokesman, told Reuters on Thursday.
Turkey is also staunchly opposed to any SDF/YPG participation in the Raqqa operation.
Last week (October 27) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will help the US to capture Raqqa provided Washington excludes the YPG.
“We do not need terrorist organizations like the PYD [Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party] and YPG in the Raqqa operation. Let us work together to sweep Daesh [ISIS] from Raqqa,” Erdogan told Obama in a phone call.
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