The situation in northern Syria has become increasingly tense in recent days. Supported by American and Russian airstrikes, Turkish forces and Syrian militias supported by Turkey recently succeeded in taking the town Al Bab from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. PhotoBut Turkey’s main worry is not ISIS but ensuring that Syrian Kurds do not establish a ministate in northern Syria. The American troops include a unit of Army Rangers, who appear to have been sent to northern Syria from the base American forces use in Erbil, Iraq. Turkey, which has cast the Kurdish militias as terrorists, has vociferously objected to such a move.

Source: New York Times March 08, 2017 00:06 UTC