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World News See other World News Articles Title: US Transfers SAMs To Kurdish Terrorists To Defend Against Nonexistent ISIS Air Force SULAIMANI – Syrian Kurdish fighters have been provided with anti-aircraft missiles known as MANPADS by United States in the canton of Afrin in northern Syria, local sources said on Sunday (January 14). Man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS or MPADS) are shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles (SLSAMs). The shipment of anti-aircraft missiles to Afrin, a Kurdish-held canton and repeated target of the Turkish army, show an easing of restrictions on arming the Kurdish forces by the U.S. Afrin is controlled by the YPG considered by Ankara to be a terror group linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) waging an insurgency inside Turkey. Neither the U.S. nor SDF clarified why Kurdish fighters want shoulder-fired anti-aircraft system, as the Islamic State (ISIS) does not have warplanes. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to attack the canton “in the days ahead” to clear it of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) fighters. “The slightest disturbance on the border would be the signal for us to take a step,” Erdogan said in a televised speech on Sunday (January 14). “We will continue our operations begun with Operation Euphrates Shield to clean our southern borders of terror in Afrin [northern Syria] in the days ahead God willing.” Late last year, Turkish troops were deployed to rebel-held northern Idlib province, south of Afrin, as part of an agreement with Iran and Russia to implement four so-called de-escalation zones in flashpoint areas around Syria. Erdogan has repeatedly said that Afrin should be cleared of “terrorists” and in November 2016, he said Turkish troops needed to be deployed there. The issue is among many causing tense relations between Ankara and Washington. Turkish officials said in November that U.S. President Donald Trump told them Washington would no longer supply weapons to the YPG. The U.S. Administration later denied they would halt weapons supply, but limit them to maintaining security now that ISIS had been expelled from Syria. “I hope that during an Afrin operation, these powers will not make the mistake of appearing to be on the same side as a terror organization,” Erdogan said in an apparent reference to the U.S. during the rally in the northern Turkish city of Tokat. He added he hoped Turkey “would take action together” with its allies. Since December, Ankara has reinforced the southern border of Turkey through the Hatay district sending armored vehicles, tanks and howitzers into Syria, sources told Hurriyet Daily news. therearenosu...isis-air-force/ Edited by Mario Milano Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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