WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2019) The United States will continue its cooperation with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria after Washington ordered pulling out its troops from that area, US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey said in a congressional testimony on Tuesday.
"In the northeast, we are going to continue working with the SDF," Jeffrey told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a hearing on Turkey's military operation in northeast Syria.
On October 7, US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of US troops from northeast Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in the area on October 9 in order to clear the border of Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) fighters - the military wing of the SDF - and create a safe zone for the relocation of Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey.
Turkey views the Kurdish YPG and other forces in Syria as an extension of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara considers to be a terrorist organization.
Turkey and the United States on Thursday reached an agreement on establishing a 120-hour ceasefire in northeast Syria to allow the withdrawal of the YPG fighters from the border area.� However, both Ankara and the Kurds have accused each other of violating the truce.
Jeffrey said Turkey's military operation in northeast Syria has emboldened the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia).
Jeffrey also praised the Washington's efforts to reach the ceasefire agreement with Turkey saying, the United States is in a better place now that a week ago.
