Syrian Kurd-dominated militias see more U.S. support for Raqqa fight on Trump's watch

WORLD

Syrian Kurd-dominated militias see more U.S. support for Raqqa fight on Trump’s watch

Fighters from the Kurdish-Arab alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces sit on a heavily armed vehicle near the village of Khirbet al-Jahshe, some 35 km from al-Tabaqah on the western outskirts of Raqqa, Syria, in December as they advance toward the Islamic State (IS) group bastion. A coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria has received U.S. armored vehicles for the first time, and a promise of new U.S. support, a coalition spokesman told AFP on Tuesday. | AFP-JIJI

Reuters

Feb 1, 2017

BEIRUT – The U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State has boosted support for its Syrian allies since President Donald Trump took office, supplying armored vehicles for the first time as they prepare to launch a new phase in their campaign for Raqqa, a spokesman for the militia said on Tuesday.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, which is dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia, is waging a campaign aimed at taking Raqqa city, Islamic State’s base of operations in Syria.

A Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday the vehicles had been supplied to Arab elements within the SDF “as part of our existing authorities to enable them,” and there had been no change in policy.