ANSD : Some US-backed Kurdish fighters return to fight IS: coalition

MON 6 - 5 - 2024

Date: Apr 25, 2018
Source: The Daily Star

Some US-backed Kurdish fighters return to fight IS: coalition

_{Agence France Presse}
WASHINGTON: Some of the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces that had abandoned offensive operations against Daesh (ISIS) have started returning to fight the islamic militants, a U.S. military official said Tuesday.

Kurdish members of the Syrian Democratic Forces - made up of Kurds, Syrian Arabs and other groups - had quit the Middle Euphrates River Valley in February after Turkey sent troops into Syria and launched an operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in its Afrin enclave.

Turkey drove the group from the city March 18.

The sudden departure of SDF fighters resulted in a slow-down in missions against Daesh in two remaining islamic militant pockets along the river.

"We are encouraged by the return of some Syrian Democratic Force partners to the Middle Euphrates River Valley," said Colonel Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition fighting Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

"More combat power is returning to Euphrates River Valley to really turn it on to the ISIS elements," he added.

Dillon did not provide any details on the numbers of fighters returning.

The United States has since late 2014 led an international coalition to defeat Daesh in Syria and Iraq.

President Donald Trump recently threw America's commitment to Syria into doubt, especially after Daesh is defeated, when he said he wanted US forces out as soon as possible.

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