They belong to the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, which has formed the backbone of the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State in Syria. The Turkish government considers the YPG to be terrorists seeking a permanent Kurdish enclave allied with separatist Kurdish militants inside Turkey. Last year, Turkish forces and groups of Syrian rebel allies moved toward Manbij, determined to oust the Kurds, sparking a strong reaction from the Pentagon. A demarcation line was eventually drawn, with U.S. troops positioned between Turkish and U.S.-backed Syrian forces located only a few miles apart. “We hope to have our NATO ally Turkey’s military forces .

Source: Washington Post June 05, 2018 21:01 UTC