The United States begins pulling troops from northeast Syria in a major policy shift, opening the way for a Turkish attack on Kurdish-led forces long allied to Washington and handing Turkey responsibility for thousands of jihadi captives. More here:
ISTANBUL - The United States began pulling troops from northeast Syria on Monday in a major policy shift, opening the way for a Turkish attack on Kurdish-led forces long allied to Washington and handing Turkey responsibility for thousands of jihadi captives.
The forces, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces , accused Washington of reneging on an ally, warning it would have a “great negative” impact on the war against the militants. A U.S. official said American troops had withdrawn from two observation posts on the border, at Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ain, and had told the commander of the SDF that the United States would not defend the SDF from an imminent Turkish offensive.
Turkey has long argued for the establishment of a 20-mile “safe zone” along the border, under Turkish control, driving back the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia - which is the dominant force in the SDF alliance and which Ankara considers a terrorist organization and a threat to its national security. “Turkey will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured over the past two years,” it said. The statement made pointed reference to Washington’s European allies, saying many captured IS fighters came from those countries, which had resisted U.S. calls to take them back.
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