US arms Syrian Kurdish troops to step up the fight against Isil

THE United States has started distributing weapons and equipment to Syrian Kurdish fighters battling to help retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

President Donald Trump’s administration moved ahead with a plan to provide the items to Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces (YPG), a move which has raised concerns in Turkey.

Maj Adrian Rankine-galloway, a Pentagon spokesman, said yesterday that the Kurdish fighters had received small arms and vehicles from the US military.

The distribution was authorised by Mr Trump several weeks ago.

There was no immediate reaction from Turkey which views the YPG as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terrorist group by the US, Turkey and Europe.

In a statement earlier this month chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said: “The President authorised the Department of Defence to equip Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces as necessary to ensure a clear victory over Isil in Raqqa.

“The Syrian Democratic Forces, partnered with enabling support from US and coalition forces, are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa in the near future.”

Earlier this month Mr Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

‘The Syrian Democratic Forces are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa’

met in Washington.

US officials have also indicated they will boost intelligence cooperation with Turkey to support its fight against the PKK.

But Turkey has expressed concerns that weapons given to the YPG would end up in the hands of the PKK.

Equipment being provided is set to include small arms, machine guns, construction equipment and armoured vehicles. It will be assigned for specific objectives relating to seizing Raqqa.

A Pentagon spokesman said: “We are keenly aware of the security concerns of our coalition partner Turkey. We want to reassure the people and government of Turkey that the US is committed to preventing additional security risks and protecting our Nato ally.”

The US decision to arm the Kurds followed lengthy deliberations and is intended to accelerate the Raqqa operation.

US officials have previously indicated that they may provide 120mm mortars, machines guns, ammunition and light armoured vehicles.

They have said that the US would not provide artillery or surface-to-air missiles.

Senior US officials including Gen Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have met repeatedly with Turkish officials to establish an arrangement for the Raqqa assault that would be acceptable to Ankara.

Turkish officials have insisted that the Syrian Kurds be excluded from that operation but US officials said there was no alternative.