“The YPG has been the most successful force in the fight against ISIS and our region is a much safer area for partner forces’ troops compared to Afghanistan and Iraq, thanks to efforts by our fighters,” Nuri Mahmud said in a statement on Twitter.
“Yet we are disappointed to see the coalition spokesman Col Wayne Marotto not taking any responsibility for the silence in the face of aggression by coalition and NATO member Turkey with NATO-supplied weapons on people and troops fighting IS [ISIS], and instead referring the US-EUCOM and US-DoD to assume responsibility. Who is responsible?” Mahmud added, referring to the United States European Command (EUCOM) and the Pentagon.
In a Friday statement to Syriac Press, Marotto said it is up to the Pentagon, the State Department and EUCOM to confront Turkey’s attacks in Rojava.
“I do not speak on behalf of the USA,” Marotto told Rudaw English via email on Friday when asked for comment. “I am the spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve… The CJTF mission in conjunction with partner forces (ISF, Peshmerga, SDF) is to defeat Daesh in designated portions of Iraq and Syria and set conditions for follow on operations to increase regional stability.”
“It is out of my purview to discuss policy,” the Coalition spokesperson added, referring Rudaw to the Pentagon and other US military institutions for “policy issues that are well above the level of CJTF-OIR.”
Rudaw English reached out to Mahmud to ask whether the YPG had discussed this issue with the US and Coalition, but he was not immediately available for comment. Rudaw English also reached out to the Pentagon and did not receive a reply by time of publication.
YPG is the backbone of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a main ally of the coalition on the ground in the fight against ISIS.
Turkey considers the YPG the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and carries out regular attacks against the group inside Syria. Turkish operations targeting YPG and SDF members have killed civilians, as well.
In recent weeks, Turkish forces have stepped up attacks in areas covered by ceasefires brokered by the US and Russia in 2019 following a Turkish offensive, killing a number of civilians and Kurdish fighters. Rojava authorities have condemned Moscow and Washington for not stopping Turkish violations of the ceasefires.
Sama Bakdash, spokesperson for the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the YPG’s political arm, said Russia and the US are “partners” in Turkey’s attacks because they have failed to stop them.
Soner Cagaptay, senior fellow at the Washington Institute, told Rudaw English this week that the US needs Turkey in Afghanistan and this had made it hard for Washington to oppose Ankara's attacks in Syria.
