US forces have halted joint military patrols in northern Syria to combat Islamic State extremists as Turkish threats of a ground invasion block such missions with Kurdish forces.
More limited security patrols by US and Kurdish troops, particularly around prisons, will resume on Saturday, official sources said.
The United States of America (US) Central Command said on Friday that US troops have suspended all joint operations with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. The Pentagon had said on Thursday that operations were ongoing but scaled back.
“The SDF continues to conduct patrols and maintain security in the al-Hol displaced persons camp and detention centers, in the prisons,” said Army Col. Joe Buccino, a spokesman for the Central Command.
“ISIS remains a threat to regional security and stability. We remain committed to the lasting defeat of ISIS and look forward to the resumption of operations against ISIS in the future,” the American added.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, told reporters on Friday that, as in the past, when there are Turkish operations in northern Syria, they have an impact on operations against ISIS, as the SDF forces focus on defending in the north. from the country.
Turkey considers the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the main component of the SDF, an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), considered terrorists in that country.
US officials said the SDF’s decision to halt its missions against Islamic State triggered a US decision to do the same.
In a statement, the SDF said that other associated patrols would resume on Saturday in the border areas. However, the US has clarified that these patrols are not intended to combat Islamic State militants.
“A state of calm and security prevailed among the population along the border area after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar on Wednesday that Washington strongly opposes to Turkey’s release from a military operation in northern Syria,” the SDF said. he said in a statement.
Turkey launched its attacks after an attack that left six dead and dozens injured in Istanbul on November 13, accusing the Kurds of responsibility, which they denied.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also threatened a ground raid, without specifying when it will be launched.
No US forces or personnel were hit by any of the attacks. But on November 26, the US military said two rockets hit the US-led coalition forces bases in the north-eastern Syrian city of Shaddadeh.
There were no injuries or damage to the base, at a time when some 900 US troops are in Syria.
Earlier this week, Mazloum Abdi, commander of the SDF, told reporters that operations against the Islamic State had been “temporarily suspended” due to recent Turkish airstrikes and that the gains made in the fight against the extremist group they could be “threatened”.
Source: TSF
