U.S. to Directly Arm Syrian Kurds Fighting ISIS

President Donald Trump has authorized the Department of Defense to supply arms directly to Kurdish forces in their advance on the so-called Islamic State’s (ISIS) territory in Raqqa, according to the BBC.

Previously, the U.S. had only provided weapons to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-Arab coalition that includes Syrian rebels and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Turkish deputy prime minister Nurettin Canikli responded saying, “The supply of arms to the YPG is unacceptable,” AFP reported. Turkey, which considers the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) a terrorist organization and the YPG its Syrian extension, attacked YPG posts in northern Syria last month, resulting in 70 deaths.

The Pentagon said that the YPG are the only force currently qualified to recapture Raqqa from ISIS. Kurdish forces working with the SDF have already achieved success in reclaiming nearby town of Tabqa, a strategic victory that includes control of a major dam and leaves them well-positioned for the Raqqa offensive.

Acknowledging Ankara’s concerns of Kurdish plans to develop a “Mediterranean corridor” and establish territorial control in northern Syria, Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said that, “all liberated territory should return to the governance of local Syrian Arabs,” according to the Financial Times.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

Syrian Military Targets Eastern Syria

The Syrian military launched a new offensive on Tuesday, focused on the country’s eastern areas, according to the Associated Press.

The operation is focused on the oil-rich desert areas bordering Jordan and Iraq, where U.S.-backed forces are fighting ISIS. Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said on Monday that the offensive’s “direction and main goal is to reach Deir Ezzor.”

This increases the potential for conflict with U.S.-backed opposition forces as the campaign to uproot ISIS ramps up in northern Syria, particularly in light of President Trump’s authorization to distribute weapons to the YPG.

Tension has also escalated near the Jordanian border following Syrian airstrikes against rebels early Tuesday morning. Furthermore, the Syrian government has warned against cross-border movement of Jordanian forces, Reuters reports.

Geneva Talks to Resume Next Week

United Nations special envoy Staffan de Mistura is set to reconvene peace talks in Geneva on May 16, according to Al Arabiya English, following the agreement reached in Astana last Friday between Russia, Iran and Turkey to implement “de-escalation zones” in Syria.

The Syrian government indicated its tentative support on Monday of the Astana plan to establish safe zones, Reuters reported. But Damascus said its cooperation is contingent upon both the consent of rebel factions, and the absence of any U.N. or foreign military presence within the safe zones.

Opposition factions have rejected the “de-escalation zone” proposal.

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