U.S. Sends Armored Vehicles to Kurdish Forces; Kurds to Use Them to Fight IS in Northern Syria

A shipment of armored vehicles has been sent to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by the U.S. government to help fight against ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), the Clarion Project website reports today (February 1, 2017).


"American armored vehicles have arrived for the Syrian Democratic Forces for the first time," SDF spokesman Talal Sello told the media. "This happened after the new U.S. administration came to power."


He credited the new administration for the armored vehicles, saying "previously we didn't get support in this form; we would get light weapons and ammunition. There are signs of full support from the new American leadership -- more than before -- for our forces."


Turkey -- a U.S. ally and NATO member -- has long objected to American military support for the Kurds. Turks and Kurds have gone to war in the past, as Kurds have been seeking to establish an independent state in Southern Turkey for over two decades. Turkish President Erdogan criticized the armor shipment, saying that dealing with those they regard as terror groups and supporting them with weapons strengthens and spreads terror.