US ships weapons into Syria
The US may be strengthening its SDF ally to counter the threat of attack from Türkiye.
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US military vehicles operating in Syria. Photo: Reuters. |
A US military convoy of more than 150 trucks crossed the Simalka border crossing into Syria's al-Hasakah province from Iraq over the weekend.AlmasdarNewsThis convoy is believed to be carrying a large amount of weapons to equip the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
This move took place in the context that the SDF has just announced the complete liberation of the last stronghold of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria, consolidating a large area of control in the Northeast of the country. The campaign to eliminate IS has been intensified by the SDF since the beginning of the month, before the US troops completely withdrew from Syria under the order of President Donald Trump.
The US withdrawal from Syria is considered a major threat to the SDF, as the Kurdish militia that forms the core of this force is considered a terrorist group by Türkiye. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to launch a military operation to push the SDF from the area east of the Euphrates River.
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Location of al-Hasakah province in northeastern Syria, bordering Iraq. Graphics:iStock. |
Erdogan's threat deepens the conflict between Ankara and Washington, as the US considers the SDF as its main ally in the fight against IS as well as controlling the land in northeastern Syria. The US is said to have pressured Türkiye not to attack its SDF ally after the Pentagon withdrew its troops from Syria.
