US Arming PKK In Areas Where Turkey Going To Conduct Invasion

The United States continues to support the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), outlawed in Turkey, by resuming joint patrols in northern Syria and arming them in areas where the Turkish forces are going to conduct a ground military operation, Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak said on Thursday, citing security sources.

On November 20, Ankara conducted an air operation against militant bases of the PKK and its armed wing, the People's Defense Units, in northern Syria and Iraq. The Turkish president called the operation a success and raised the possibility of conducting a ground operation soon.

According to the newspaper, the US, in announcing the resumption of patrols with the PKK, is also sending to the organization the message "We are with you!" The US envoy to northeast Syria, Nikolas Granger, also said that Washington opposed Turkey's military action, the news outlet added.

The newspaper reported that the PKK had deployed American TOW anti-tank missiles in the villages near the Syrian opposition-held city of Al Bab. The organization also sent at least 100 fighters to the Syrian city of Ain Issa, which is among Turkey's possible targets, and about 30 fighters in villages near the border town of Kobane, the report added. In addition, the PKK sent multi-barrel rocket launchers to the village of Hezwan, the report noted.

On November 29, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said that the United Nations was concerned that the situation in Syria would escalate further in the absence of meaningful efforts to resolve the conflict.