The US is now equipping Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces with heavy machine guns, small arms and ammunition to battle Islamic State fighters near their stronghold of Raqqa, Syria.
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Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon told RT that this move represents the “early steps to prepare for the eventual liberation of Raqqa,” which the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) has declared the capital of its self-proclaimed caliphate.
“Overall, the equipment the US-led coalition will provide to the SDF includes small arms, ammunition, heavy machine guns and weapons capable of defeating specific threats our partner forces are expected to encounter as they take the fight to a desperate enemy, such as heavily-armored vehicle-borne IEDs,” Pahon said in an emailed statement.
US-ally Turkey has long opposed the arming Kurdish forces, which it considers to be outgrowths of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a designated terrorist group in both Turkey and the US.
Amid reports of US delivering arms to the Kurdish-controlled northern Syrian city of Hasakah in recent weeks, Turkish President Recep Erdogan called the US decision “a mistake” and urged US authorities to “reverse it immediately.”
Pentagon spokesman Pahon told RT there were safeguards in place to prevent misuse of the weapons.
“Wherever possible, our advisors will monitor the use of the weapons and supplies we give the Kurdish elements of the SDF, ensuring use only against ISIS,” Pahon told RT. “Any alleged misuse or diversion of U.S. support will be taken seriously and lead to the possible curtailment of support, if verified.”
