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U.S. to provide air support for Turkish operation in Syria

24 August 2016 10:47 (UTC +04:00)

U.S. Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner also said they were in close contact with Turkish officials on the operation.

"Well, we’re in contact with Turkish officials, as well as representatives of the Syrian Democratic Forces, on this incident. I would say that we’re working to ensure that tensions don’t escalate and to remind both sides or both parties that ISIL is the main enemy here and the common enemy that must be confronted, and that our efforts need to be geared towards ensuring that all of our partners remain focused on that goal," Toner said speaking at the daily press briefing.

Note that the Syria Democratic Forces is comprised of PKK-linked PYD's armed wing YPG and Arab forces. Turkey previously declared that its “red line” would be violated if the PYD and YPG crossed to the west of the Euphrates River. However, YPG forces have not yet left the town of Manbij, which has been recently retaken from ISIL. PYD had announced that their next target after Manbij would be Jarablus, which is the only town separating northern Syria from the Kurdish-populated territories in southern Turkey. This town, if captured by Kurdish fighters, will have completed the “Kurdish strip” in northern Syria. For this particular reason, Turkey is in favor of Jarablus being taken by Free Syrian Army rather than Kurdish forces.