‘US ARMS FOR SYRIAN KURDS WILL CONTINUE AFTER RAQQA’

Munich, June 27: US defence secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that America will continue to provide weapons to Syrian Kurdish fighters after the battle to oust ISIS from Raqqa, Syria, is over.

Describing reassurances to Turkey that the US will take back weapons given to the Syrian Kurds after the ISIS fight, Mattis said that it depends on when or where the next mission is.

Mattis also sounded a cautionary tone when asked if all the weapons would be returned. “We’ll do what we can,” he told reporters traveling with him to Germany.

His comments marked the first time he has spoken at length publicly about the US pledge to recover the weapons. Turkish officials last week said Mattis had reassured them by letter that the arms would be taken back.