Turkey has called on the U.S.to not support the PYD and its military wing, the YPG, as they are offshoots of the PKK that is designated as a extremist organization by Turkey, EU and the U.S.
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“On the contrary, we believe the YPG as well as other forces in northern Syria are effectively taking the fight to ISIL”, he added.
U.S. Special Forces in Syria may be working with female Kurdish fighters in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, if recent photos are any indication.
An officer speaking for the U.S. Special Forces Command Middle East had a somewhat different explanation, saying that “U.S”.
Warren indicated that the USA forces participating in the operation to capture a stretch of desert territory north of Raqqa will no longer attach the badges to their uniforms, saying that “corrective action” had been taken.
It had always been public knowledge that around 200 U.S. commandos are in northern Syria helping local militia target the Islamic State extremist group’s de facto capital Raqa and guiding in coalition air strikes. The move was a reflection of several longstanding traditions within USA special operations units that work closely with foreign forces across the globe.
Those sensitivities are likely from fellow NATO-member Turkey, as Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu issued a statement blasting the “two-faced” United States for wearing YPG patches, saying the USA troops might as well also wear the patches of ISIS and al-Qaeda when they operate in northern Syria.
“It is not acceptable for USA soldiers to wear YPG terrorist arm badges”. The U.S. Defense Department has said its troops often wear the insignias of the fighters they are with in order to better blend in.
Shortly after, a photographer with AFP released images appearing to show US military personnel wearing shoulder patches bearing the YPG insignia. “It is unacceptable for the soldiers of the United States – our ally which is very assertive in the fight against terror – to use or wear the badges of a terror organization”, Cavusoglu said.
At the State Department, spokesman Mark Toner said on Friday the USA has made clear it does not believe the YPG is connected to the PKK.
The soldiers are seen alongside members of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a joint Kurdish-Arab alliance fighting the Islamic State that is dominated YPG.
He suggested that U.S. soldiers wear the IS insignia when they venture out to other parts of Syria in order to blend in. The SDF is largely made up of YPG fighters, but Pentagon officials have said more Arab troops have joined recently as they move toward the Islamic State group’s capital of Raqqa.
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Toner said that Washington does not regard the YPG, which operates in Syria, as part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). He said it was uncertain how long it would take them to reach the city. But they said there has been no change to the policy that the commandos will advise and assist but not fight on the front lines. “It was hard to tell who they were with, exactly”. Others have the patch of a Kurdish People’s Defence Units (YPG).
