Friday, January 11, 2019

YPG'S US Weapons a key problem in Already complicated withdrawal Plan



The U.S.' unexpected decision to leave Syria has brought up many critical questions, including what will happen to the weapons that Washington provided to the YPG which the terrorist group has not hesitated in using against Turkey and Turkey-backed forces)


With the U.S. decision to withdraw from war-torn Syria, the future of the heavy weapons provided to the PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) by Washington emerges as one of the most critical issues that needs to be addressed. The terrorist group's presence on the Turkish border poses grave security threats to the country and needs to be resolved urgently. During the fight against Daesh, the U.S. opted for partnering with the YPG despite its NATO ally's security concerns, and provided truckloads of weapons to the terrorist group.

Currently, the U.S. is preparing to leave Syria, in an abrupt decision undertaken recently, and the question of what will happen to the weapons given to the terrorist group in a highly unstable region like Syria hangs in the air since attacks by the YPG, using these weapons, continue. In the latest move, the YPG targeted the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Thursday in the Kaljibrin village of the northwestern Syrian town of Azaz with American-made anti-tank TOW missiles. The terrorists targeted the patrolling FSA troops early in the morning, which caused the death of two fighters. On Wednesday, the YPG also targeted the same region; no casualties or injuries were reported from that attack.

The presence of these weapons has caused worry in Ankara, threatening the stability of northern Syrian areas that were liberated from Daesh during Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch. There are also other serious possible threats to Turkey with officials concerned about the possibility of the transfer of these U.S.-made weapons to southeast Turkey through the border controlled by the YPG to be used against the Turkish army by PKK terrorists.

So far, many incidents have proven the validity of these concerns as an ample number of U.S.-made weapons have been found in PKK caves and military depots during Turkish military operations in the southeast.

In recent years, U.S.-made rockets, anti-aircraft weapons, heavy machine guns and M-16 rifles were seized, particularly in the Kato Mountain located in Turkey's border province of Hakkari during anti-terror operations against PKK terrorists.

Also, reports had suggested that arms and ammunition given to the YPG were smuggled across Turkish borders, through the Amanos Mountains near Turkey's southern province of Hatay, aiming to help the PKK's domestic terrorism activities, specifically against tourism near the Aegean region. The Turkish army cut off this road for delivery after Operation Olive Branch in Afrin last year.

The delivery of arms and equipment to the YPG, which is still poisoning bilateral relations between the two NATO allies, began in 2014 and intensified in subsequent years.

22,000 truckloads of arms given to YPG by U.S.

Some 22,000 truckloads of arms and ammunition have been given to the YPG so far. Some of the arms include cruise missiles, Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) and shoulder-launched surface to air missiles (MANPADS).

The U.S. promised Turkey that it would take back the weapons following the defeat of Daesh. Yet, Ankara doubts that Washington will keep its word since Daesh has been substantially defeated and the U.S. has not halted its steadfast support of the YPG terrorist group. Taking back weapons from the YPG and the fight against terrorist groups, including Daesh, were also discussed in a recent meeting last week between Turkish National Defense Minister Gen. Hulusi Akar and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford with the attendance of Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler in the capital Ankara.

The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement that during the meeting Akar reiterated that Turkey was determined to t

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