Pentagon confirms start of weapons deliveries to Syrian Kurds
The United States has begun supplying arms and equipment to Kurdish fighters participating in the operation to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from ISIS terrorists, as reported by Russia’s TASS news agency citing the Pentagon's press office.
“I can confirm that the U.S. led coalition began supplying weapons and equipment to the Kurdish forces of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF),” Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said. According to him, the weapons include “small arms, ammunition, heavy machine guns,” as well as other types of weapons that are needed by the U.S. backed fighters.
According to Pahon, “U.S. military advisers will, if possible, monitor the use of the supplied weapons by the Kurdish fighters so that they are used exclusively to fight ISIS.” The representative of the U.S. State Department added, “Any alleged misuse or abuse of U.S. assistance will have serious consequences and lead to a possible reduction in support if such violations are confirmed.”
Earlier this month, U.S. Air Force Colonel John Dorrian said at a briefing at the Pentagon that Washington was planning to provide arms to Syrian Kurds from the People's Protection Units, part of the armed forces of the SDF, which is fighting ISIS. On November 6, 2016, the SDF, with the support of the U.S. Air Force, launched an operation to liberate the city of Raqqa, which is considered the stronghold of ISIS in Syria.
The main strike force of the SDF coalition is the People’s Protection Units (PPU), the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Federation (DF). Ankara considers DF and PPU to be the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which carries on an armed struggle with the Turkish authorities and is considered in that country to be a terrorist organization.