We told YPG to change brand name in 2015: US General

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A senior US general on Friday stated he asked the People’s Protection Units (YPG) to change its “brand” before they allied with the local Syrian Arabs in 2015 leading to the establishment of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

US Army General Raymond Thomas, the head of Special Operations Command, said his request resulted in significant US support for the Kurdish-led SDF in the past years despite strong opposition from Turkey.

Turkey considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish rebel group fighting Turkish soldiers in Turkey.

Ankara has repeatedly criticized Washington’s policy in arming the Kurdish group battling the Islamic State (IS) in northern Syria.

General Thomas claims he explained Turkey’s concern to the YPG three years ago.

“We literally played back to them: ‘You have got to change your brand. What do you want to call yourselves besides the YPG?’” He said.

“With about a day’s notice they declared that they are the Syrian Democratic Forces,” Thomas continued.

“I thought it was a stroke of brilliance to put democracy in there somewhere,” the General added. “It gave them a little bit of credibility.”

Thomas made the remarks during the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, an annual conference which brings government and security officials and experts together to discuss the latest security developments.

He highlighted the role of the SDF in defeating the extremist group in northern Syria despite suffering heavy losses in the beginning before gaining strength and advancing faster.

The YPG controls large swaths of territory in northern Syria stretching from the east to the west and is currently liberating Raqqa from IS, the militant group’s key stronghold in Syria.

Thomas mentioned possible links between the Kurdish group and the PKK would create problems for the YPG.

“They got to work on their own branding. If they continue to keep linkage to their past product - the PKK linkage, specifically - the relationship is fraught with challenges,” Thomas added.

The PKK has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish government since the 1980s.

Turkey, the EU, and the US label the group a terrorist organization.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany