Syrian Kurds enjoy US protection against Syrian warplanes

HASAKA, Syrian Kurdistan (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdish forces fighting against the Syrian army in Syria’s northeastern city of Hasaka have benefited from the US’ warning to the government warplanes not to fly over the city, a Press Briefing by the Pentagon indicated on Monday.

In a US Department of Defense Press Briefing by the Pentagon, Press Secretary Peter Cook confirmed that the forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) would be protected by the United States.

“The forces that are taking the fight to [IS], and partnered with us, will enjoy the support of the United States,” he said.

Cook emphasized that the US warned the Syrian warplanes not to fly over Hasaka where forces are fighting against IS—an apparent reference to the YPG.

“When our aircraft arrived in the area [of Hasaka], the Syrian aircraft departed,” Cook said.

“We would continue to advise the Syrian regime to steer clear of those areas,” he commented.

On the ground, a Kurdistan24 correspondent embedded with the Syrian Kurdish Forces of People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Hasaka confirmed that there were no aerial strikes by Syrian warplanes in the last two days.

Syrian government air forces could not be reached for comment.

In the Pentagon Press Briefing, Cook implied that the Kurdish forces fighting in Hasaka benefit from the US' support.

“The Syrian regime would be wise to avoid areas where coalition forces have been operating. And we will continue to defend them, and if need be we will send aircrafts again to defend our forces,” he said.

Asked to define the phrase “our forces,” Cook described the term as a reference to “local partners” on the front lines.

“Our focus all along in Syria has been on [IS], working with local partners on the ground willing to take the fight,” Cook explained.

Clashes between the Syrian Kurdish Security forces (Asayish) and YPG against the Syrian government broke out on Aug. 16.

The pro-Assad militias, known as the National Defense Forces (NDF), arresting several Kurds arbitrarily sparked the violence.

Despite the Syrian government launching many aerial strikes and hitting Kurdish-held positions, the Kurdish forces made notable advancements in the past three days.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
(Kurdistan24 correspondents Heybar Othman and Ekrem Salih contributed to this report from Hasaka)