US Delivers Advanced Weapons to SDF in Eastern Euphrates

TEHRAN (defapress)- The US-backed Kurdish militants received state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment, including Israeli arms in Eastern Euphrates, the Arabic-language media reports said.

News ID: 77075

Date: 27 April 2019 - 15:37

The pro-militant Arabic-language Al-Khabor news agency quoted informed sources as saying that the US-led coalition has delivered new military and logistical supports through Simalka crossing to its allied Kurdish fighters in Eastern Syria.

It noted that the said military shipment included advanced missiles, US air defense systems, Israeli anti-Tank Spike missiles, shoulder-mounted surface-to-air Stinger missiles and drones.

The advanced weapons delivered to the Kurdish fighters were transferred to a clandestine depot near Ramilan Airbase in Hasaka province which is guarded by the US marine forces and Kurdish fighters.

In a relevant development last week, the media reports said that the US dispatched a large number of trucks packed with new military aids to the SDF in Eastern and Northeastern Syria.

A US military convoy comprising 30 trucks loaded with weapons, military and logistic equipment has arrived in Ain al-Arab Airport in Northeastern Aleppo, pro-militant al-Khabor news website reported.

Al-Khabor, meantime, said that the SDF has discharged four weapons depots in Tal Bidar, Ramilan, al-Shadadi and al-Malekieh in Hasaka province and sent their weapons to arms depots in Ra'as al-Ain in Northern Hasaka, Tal Abyaz in Northern Raqqa and Ain al-Arab in Aleppo as well as al-Amar energy zone in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

It noted that the Kurdish forces' move comes as part of their plan to confront an imminent military offensive by the Turkish Army and its allied militants in Eastern Euphrates.

The Turkish-language Anatoly news agency also reported that hundreds of trucks carrying US-made military equipment have been sent for the SDF-controlled areas in Deir Ezzur.

It also noted that a large number of weapons and military equipment have been sent to the US-controlled al-Omar oil zone which is now under the US control, adding that a large number of vehicles and drilling machinery have also been sent to SDF-controlled towns.

In a relevant development earlier this month, media reports revealed that Washington has dispatched new military aid to the SDF in Eastern Euphrates after declaring an end in the war on ISIL.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Saturday that the US-led coalition has sent new military convoys, including tens of trucks carrying military aid and logistical equipment, from Iraqi Kurdistan region to areas occupied by the SDF in Eastern Euphrates.

It added that over 810 trucks, carrying military and logistic equipment of the US-led coalition have arrived in Eastern Euphrates.

Last month, Washington-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria declared their final victory over the ISIL terrorist group, ending bloody battle against the group that once held territory spanning a third of Syria and Iraq.

The US Defense Department also announced that the Islamic State no longer holds any territory in Syria, according to former White House Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders.

In December 2018, US President Donald Trump declared the ISIL terrorist group defeated in Syria and announced American troop pullout from the country but gave no timeline. The surprise announcement resulted in the resignation of Secretary of Defense James Mattis, US anti-IS coalition envoy Brett McGurk and Pentagon Chief of staff Rear Admiral Kevin Sweeney who disapproved of the American president's decision.

But, Trump confirmed that 400 US soldiers will remain in the war-torn country indefinitely.

Notably, the US troops have been operating in Syria as part of an international coalition for about five years without the permission of Syrian authorities or the UN Security Council. The United States has, in particular, supported the Kurdish-led militia controlling the territories to the East of the Euphrates and opposing the Syrian government.

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