SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Friday announced the halt of its all joint counter-terrorism operations with the United States and other allies as a result of Turkish bombardment on its area of control.
SDF, a U.S.-backed group that helped defeat Islamic State terrorists in Syria, said it had stopped all joint counter-terrorism operations as Turkey has ramped up its shelling and airstrikes on northern Syria in recent days.
“All coordination and joint counter-terrorism operations” with the U.S.-led coalition battling remnants of the Islamic State in Syria as well as “all the joint special operations we were carrying out regularly” had been halted, SDF spokesman Aram Henna said.
In the meantime, the U.S. military confirmed the move in a statement saying, “U.S. forces in the region had “paused all partnered operations” against Islamic State in Syria.”
Despite Turkey’s continuous bombings on the SDF-held area, Ankara is preparing a ground invasion against Syrian Kurdish fighters that it dubs terrorists but who make up the largest part of the SDF.
Turkish officials said the army needed just a few days to be ready for a ground incursion into northern Syria, which has been repeatedly recently attacked with howitzer long-range weapons and warplanes by the Turks for days.
Since 2016 Ankara has mounted three military incursions against the Kurdish militants whom it considered as “threatening” its national security from its southern borders.
The U.S.-led coalition has backed the SDF with air strikes, military equipment, and advisers since 2017, first helping it wrest back territory from IS and then supporting clearing operations against jihadist sleeper cells.
