DONALD TRUMP ORDERS SHIPMENTS OF OF WEAPONS TO SYRIAN KURDS AS TURKEY OBJECTS

 fighter from the SDF carrying weapons as he looks toward the northern town of Tabqa, Syria. U.S.-backed opposition fighters led by Syrian Kurdish forces captured ...

President Trump has given the Pentagon the green light to directly provide arms and heavy weapons to Kurdish militias battling the Islamic State in Syria, defying strident opposition from Turkey who categorizes some of those militias as terrorist groups.

The issue is guaranteed to be front and center during a scheduled visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Washington next week. Mr. Erdogan has routinely lambasted the White House for its battlefield support of Kurdish groups such as Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG.

The YPG, the armed faction of the Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK which Turkey has labelled as a terrorist organization, is part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF — the consortium of Syrian Kurdish and Arab militias battling the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. The SDF is expected to spearhead the coming assault on the Islamic State capital of Raqqa.
YPG elements could receive mortars, heavy machine guns and armored tactical vehicles as part of the Trump administration’s plan, The Associated Press reported.

The Obama administration had approved military support for the YPG and other Kurdish militias in early 2015, as they fought to drive the Islamic State from the Syrian town of Kobane, which straddles the Turkish border. But that support was passed along through allied forces and not directly from the U.S., ostensibly over concerns direct support would anger Turkey, a NATO ally.

But as the endgame in Syria looms, President Trump’s decision to openly arm YPG elements in Syria is designed to “ensure a clear victory over ISIS” in the country, Pentagon Press Secretary Dana White.

The SDF, including its Kurdish elements, “are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa in the near future,” she said in a statement announcing the plan.

“We are keenly aware of the security concerns of our coalition partner Turkey. We want to reassure the people and government of Turkey that the U.S. is committed to preventing additional security risks and protecting our NATO ally,” she added.

Meanwhile at the White House, Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Tuesday that he was unsure whether President Trump had informed Mr. Erdogan of his decision.

“I don’t know if he’s addressed this to the president yet,” Mr. Spicer said, referring to Mr. Erdogan, noting the administration remains “keenly aware of the security concerns” expressed by Turkey over U.S. cooperation with Kurdish forces.

“The U.S. continues to prioritize support for Arab elements of the SDF,” he said. “Raqqa and all liberated territories should return to the governance of local Syrian Arabs.”

Officials from the Turkish embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Washington Times regarding the YPG arms deal. However, over the last several weeks, Ankara has conducted a unilateral air campaign against Kurdish targets in Syria. The strikes were part of an ongoing counterterrorism operation targeting members of the YPG.

On Wednesday, Ilnur Cevik, senior aide to President Erdogan, said American forces teaming with members YPG could be in danger of being hit by Turkish fighters patrolling the volatile border region with Syria.

Later, Mr. Cevik attempted to walk back his comments on social media regarding U.S. forces working with Kurdish militias.
“Turkey has never and will never hit its allies anywhere, and that includes the U.S. in Syria,” he said in a tweet posted shortly after Wednesday’s radio interview.

When asked whether the new arms deal with the YPG could put U.S. forces in danger from Turkish airstrikes, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway replied, “We encourage all forces to remain focused on the Defeat-ISIS fight and concentrate their efforts on ISIS. The coalition will continue to work in close coordination with partner forces and allies to remain focused on delivering a lasting defeat to ISIS.”