ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) should be allowed to keep weapons delivered to them by the US during the ISIS war in Syria, recommend US commanders asked to prepare a plan for the announced withdrawal from the country.
Three of four officials who talked to Reuters on condition of anonymity said that these recommendations were part of a US military’s withdrawal draft plan.
The Pentagon is yet to approve these recommendations which might anger its NATO ally in the region, Turkey, which sees the Kurdish group as a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The US president’s sudden decision to withdraw troops from Syria emboldened governments such as Damascus and Ankara to talk of filling the vacuum militarily.
Turkey has threatened to drive out Kurdish fighters from northern Syria, including Manbij.
Pentagon believes it’s too early to comment on the matter.
“Planning is ongoing, and focused on executing a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops’ safety,” Pentagon spokesperson Commander Sean Robertson told Reuters.
Three of four officials who talked to Reuters on condition of anonymity said that these recommendations were part of a US military’s withdrawal draft plan.
The Pentagon is yet to approve these recommendations which might anger its NATO ally in the region, Turkey, which sees the Kurdish group as a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The US president’s sudden decision to withdraw troops from Syria emboldened governments such as Damascus and Ankara to talk of filling the vacuum militarily.
Turkey has threatened to drive out Kurdish fighters from northern Syria, including Manbij.
Pentagon believes it’s too early to comment on the matter.
“Planning is ongoing, and focused on executing a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops’ safety,” Pentagon spokesperson Commander Sean Robertson told Reuters.
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