Multiple reports from northern Syria on Thursday indicated that US forces are increasing their presence in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) and may build a new base in the city of Kobani.
regional outlet Kurdistan 24 “A convoy of 50 trucks carrying Bremer walls entered Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-controlled territory in northeastern Syria (Rojava) on Thursday,” according to Thursday's report. Kurdistan24, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a non-governmental organization (NGO), reported that the convoy was headed for the Kurdish city of Kobani on the Turkish border.
“Observatory officials indicated that the handover is part of the US military's continued efforts to strengthen existing bases and establish new military facilities in Kobani,” Kurdistan 24 reported. Ta. “Reliable SOHR sources have confirmed that excavation and construction work will begin on Friday, with additional reinforcement expected.”
Independent news organization Iran International separately reported On Thursday, SDF-related media sources reported that the U.S. coalition against Islamic State was “building a military base in Kobani.” Self-Defense Force-related media outlets also confirmed sightings of a convoy of construction materials heading into the city.
Shafaq, another Middle East media outlet, also reported On Thursday, it said the convoy was carrying reinforcements to SDF territory and said it was associated with “US forces.”
“The reinforcements reportedly included 14 cargo planes carrying military equipment and soldiers and 233 military vehicles consisting of trucks, armored vehicles and personnel carriers,” Shafaq reported.
The U.S. military maintains operations in Syria aimed at preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State, a terrorist organization that once boasted a “caliphate” based in northern Raqqa. The “caliphate” was destroyed primarily by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of militias led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG/YPJ). The U.S. government is working closely with the SDF to contain ISIS operations and maintains prisons that house thousands of Islamic State jihadists and their families, who are often refused repatriation from their home countries. We are supporting.
The situation in Syria has remained in turmoil since the fall of the Assad family regime, which had lasted more than 50 years, in December. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda splinter militia, seized control of Damascus on December 7, prompting pro-Iranian dictator Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia. HTS currently controls Syria's Islamist “interim” government and has begun negotiations with the Kurdish north to address the existence of an essentially Kurdish autonomous region in the country. Although the SDF did not maintain particularly friendly relations with Assad, many members of the YPG and the all-female YPJ are fighting to establish a sovereign Kurdistan partially carved out of Syria, and the HTS is in conflict with At the time of writing, HTS leaders were insisting that the Kurds, as Syria's indigenous people, be given some authority within the government.
Although the civil war that began in 2011 to overthrow Assad has ended, the SDF remains embroiled in a conflict with another militia, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). Following the HTS' surprise attack on Aleppo in late November and the rapid collapse of Assad's military presence, the SNA announced an operation called Operation Dawn of Freedom to annihilate the SDF. The Turkish government views the SDF as a terrorist organization indistinguishable from the U.S.-designated Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkey's years-long onslaught against the U.S.-allied SDF has caused long-standing tensions between the two NATO allies.
HTS, which occupied Syria, has not stopped Operation Freedom Dawn, nor has the SDF announced that it aims to cooperate with HTS to establish peace in Syria. Although HTS has no direct ties to the SNA, it maintains friendly relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has long called for the overthrow of Assad and openly supported his ouster in December.
As a result of Operation Dawn of Freedom, the SDF announced that it had almost completely halted operations against ISIS. SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi told Britain's Sky news agency days after Assad fled the country that anti-ISIS operations had “stopped”. He said it was not because he chose to stop it, but because of the onslaught by Turkish-backed forces. Power made them impossible.
“ISIS is currently gaining strength in the Syrian desert,” Abdi said. “Previously, they hid in remote areas, but now they can move more freely because they don't face problems or have conflicts with other groups.”
“Their activities have also increased in areas under our control. Just a few days ago, three members of the internal security forces were killed in an ISIS operation near al-Hasakah,” he said. .
Abdi warned that SDF-run prisons housing Islamic State terrorists were at grave risk as a result of Turkey's attacks.
The Self-Defense Forces prison is house There are approximately 10,000 Islamic State terrorists. Another 40,000 people, family members of terrorists, remain in camps in Syrian Kurdistan. Efforts to repatriate them have met with little success.
The Turkish government on Thursday asked the world to take control of the prison from the SDF.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan: “The Syrian government should urgently take over the security of the camps and prisons, and if this is not possible, Turkey stands ready to provide all possible assistance in this matter.'' claimed. Like the Islamic State, the current Syrian government is a US-designated terrorist organization.
Fidan demanded that the prisoners return home.
“These detainees in camps and prisons must be repatriated by their respective countries,” he said. “Keeping them here indefinitely, without any judicial process, without any future plans or agendas, represents a grave crisis in the region.”
