Damascus Considers US Statement on Creating Border Safe Zone 'Overt Aggression'

TEHRAN (defapress)- The Syrian Foreign Ministry slammed Washington's intention to form a 30,000-strong force inside the country with the proclaimed goal of maintaining security along its borders.

News ID: 68093

Date: 15 January 2018 - 14:15

Syria condemned Washington's announcement of the formation of an armed militia in the northeast of the country, and regards this move a “blatant aggression on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and a flagrant violation of international law,” the Foreign Ministry said, as quoted by SANA.

An official Source at the Foreign Ministry added that the Syrian Arab Republic urges the international community to denounce this American step and take action to put an end to the domination mentality and arrogance which dominate the US Administration’s policies, warning of its negative consequences on international peace and security.

Damascus considered any Syrian citizen who takes part in the US-backed militia as a traitor to the Syrian state and people.

The so-called military coalition led by the United States in Syria is reportedly planning to set up a new large border force of up to 30,000 personnel with the aid of its militia allies in war-torn country.

The force, whose inaugural class is presently being trained, would be dispatched to the borders of the area controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is an alliance of militias in Northern and Eastern Syria largely dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

The United States' military support for the militia first began under the administration of US President Donald Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, which provided Kurds with weapons and training.

Washington also continues providing Kurdish fighters with more military hardware in Syria despite US President Donald Trump's promise to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to halt arms shipment to the Kurdish fighters.

Ankara said late November 2017 that Trump told Erdogan that he had issued instructions that weapons should not be provided to Kurdish fighters in Syria.

According to reports, the US plans to keep its troops in Syria long after the defeat of ISIL. Washington has been justifying its deployment of ground troops in Syria, which violates the embattled nation’s sovereignty, by citing the need to fight ISIL.