Coalition strikes, support for SDF continue despite US withdrawal plans

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The US-led coalition on Tuesday said it continued to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with “precision airstrikes and coordinated fires.”

American officials told Reuters earlier that US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria was also expected to signify an end to the US air campaign against the Islamic State (IS) there.

However, a final decision has not been made. And one US official told Reuters that he did not rule out “some kind of support for partners and allies.” In the meantime, France has said it would continue to fight IS in Syria.

Reports indicate that until now, US coalition airstrikes continue.

The goal of the coalition support is “to make further progress in the fight against IS in the Middle Euphrates River Valley,” the coalition said in a press release. 

According to the US-led coalition, these coordinated attacks destroyed IS logistics facilities and staging areas.

“Ultimately, this [strike] severely degraded IS capabilities to maneuver and control their attack formations, but also removed several hundred IS fighters from the battlefield,” the coalition said.

“Coalition precision strikes also targeted several IS financial centers and capabilities in Susah and As Shafah, which delivered a significant blow to the ability of IS to finance terrorist activities.”

According to Gen. Christopher Ghika, CJTF-OIR deputy commander, IS “presents a very real threat to the long-term stability in this region and our mission remains the same, the enduring defeat of IS.”

Until now, US-backed SDF partner forces continue to advance through the last remaining stronghold IS has in the region, rooting out the extremist group’s fighting positions.

On Monday, spokesperson Kino Gabriel said the SDF continued its operations against IS in the Middle Euphrates River Valley “as part of the continued fight against terrorism.”

“We continue our efforts to liberate the town of Hajin and adjacent neighborhoods in the region,” he said.

“Operations are conducted with continued support [from the] international coalition through artillery bombardments and airstrikes that destroyed 279 strategic military targets and killed 245 terrorists.”

However, Gabriel warned that the “decision on the withdrawal of American forces from Syria, has directly affected our military operations.”

The spokesperson called on the international community to stop possible Turkish attacks in Syria which he claimed could displace or endanger four million people in the northern and eastern regions of the embattled nation. 

Turkey is determined to cross to the east of the Euphrates River as soon as possible, Hurriyet quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu as saying on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, senior Kurdish officials have called on the international community to implement a no-fly zone to stop the Turkish threats.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany