(Defense One) Kevin Baron - Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of the U.S. Central Command, said Sunday that the U.S. has no intention of withdrawing coalition forces from the northern Syrian town of Manbij, as Turkish leaders have demanded. He urged Turkey and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to recognize each other's legitimate security concerns but focus on the common enemy of ISIS. Votal has repeatedly said the U.S. would stand by the SDF counterterrorism force. "In many ways, the Syrian Democratic Forces, with the coalition, is taking on the world's enemy, here. And remember what this enemy is: this is ISIS, this is heavy foreign fighters, from literally a hundred countries." The SDF "have proven to be the most effective force on the ground in Syria in doing this....We've had a very good, trustworthy relationship with the Syrian Democratic Forces leadership."
2018-01-31 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive