#FROMTHEFRONT#SYRIA 16.05.2017 - 734 views 5 (4 votes) US TO PROVIDE ANTITANK WEAPONS TO KURDISH FORCES IN SYRIA

#FROMTHEFRONT#SYRIA 16.05.2017 - 734 views 5 (4 votes) US TO PROVIDE ANTITANK WEAPONS TO KURDISH FORCES IN SYRIA – WSJ

A YPG fighter raises a YPG flag over a barrier in Tel al-Aghbish village, which they retook control of from IS. Source: Reuters

The US is going to provide antitank weapons to Kurdish forces (YPG and YPJ) in Syria, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing US officials. The article insists that the move will allow Kurdish fighters to counter amoured vehicles used by ISIS terrorists for suicide bombings.

Kurdish militias are a core of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that are now advancing against ISIS in the Raqqah countryside.

At the same time, it’s clear that modern weapons supplies to Kurdish militias will increase their capabilities in case of of an open conflict with pro-Turkish militant groups in northern Syria or even with the Turkish military. Ankara describes YPG and YPJ as terrorist groups linked with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) operating in southern Turkey.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it will provide direct arms supplies to Kurdish forces in Syria.

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