US reveals support of PKK by omitting group from terror report
The U.S. State Department omitted the PYD/YPG terrorist group from its 2017 Country Reports on Terrorism, which was released Wednesday. The previous edition of the report noted that Turkey views the Syria-based PYD/YPG as an extension of the PKK terror group.
With this move, Washington has made public its support of terrorism and its desire to split Syria. The activity in the region shows that Washington is laying the foundations for a terror state.
Arms deployment
The U.S. has accelerated its arms deployment to the PYD/PKK terror group. The U.S. dispatched 250 heavy weapons and armored vehicles to the Democratic Syrian Armed Forces (SDF), which is dominated by the YPG, in June. Over 200 trucks loaded with supplies were sent to the SDF on Aug. 6, and another deployment of several armored vehicles and 250 trucks with weapons and ammunition was sent on Aug. 15.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that over 1,200 shipments and trucks entered Syria in August alone.
Iran has at least 120,000 foreign terrorists fighting in alliance with the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria since the civil war began in 2011. Some 22 groups surrounded Idlib from three directions, and are currently present in 232 points. For a long time, the Assad regime has been conducting its military operations against the opponents in Syria not through its own army, but mainly through Iran-backed foreign forces. These groups are stationed predominantly in Idlib, Damascus, Homs, the countryside of Deir-Ez Zor and particularly on the Lebanese border. According to the information compiled by Anadolu Agency reporters from media outlets of Iran-backed foreign terrorist groups, Iranian media and opponents in Syria; the Tehran administration started sending militias to Syria in the first months of 2014. Details of Turkish-Russian Idlib deal revealedSyrian opponents also fought with Iran-backed Hezbollah militias before. Hezbollah first gave support to the regime during its operations near the Lebanese border late 2012. Six months later, the group announced its entity and support to the regime in al-Qusayr district of the countryside of Homs. During this period, commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were regarded as “consultants” in conflict zones and military educations fields, while the soldiers of the guards were regarded as “fighters.”Apart from being involved in the war physically, the Revolutionary Guards provided training and logistic support to militias fighting in Syria. UK thanks Turkey for its 'longstanding role' in SyriaIran’s involvement increase after opponents take Idlib The involvement of the Iranian forces to the conflict field on the side of the Assad regime has intensified after the Syrian opponents took complete control of Idlib and came close to Latakia in early 2015. Early 2015, Bashar al-Assad confessed that his army was in a difficult situation and the numbers of the soldiers decreased. The Iranian army and intelligence, which wanted to keep the regime alive, had tens of thousands of terrorist fighters -- brought from Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Pakistan -- enter Syria. These forces actually took the active role in Madaya, al-Zabadani and Barada Valley -- where deaths occurred from starvation and tens of thousands of civilians were blockaded. The militias planted mines near residential areas, depriving civilians from humanitarian aid. As the humanitarian tragedy was beyond endurance, locals and civilian opponents had to flee the region. Thus, the mandatory evacuation process started. Turkish-made drones to monitor implementation of Idlib agreementMost conflicts erupted in Aleppo Iran-backed forces conducted their most intensive attacks on Aleppo, where they were settled since early 2014. The forces surrendered Aleppo to the regime following a 4 month-tragedy, where hundreds of thousands of people were living under siege. The forces evacuated the entire Homs, Eastern Ghouta, Dara and Quneitra regions within 4 months, via the attack-blockade-deportation method. Iran-backed foreign terrorist groups then headed towards Idlib. The groups piling up for the last three months blockaded Idlib from the east, west and the south. Syrians ‘still need our help’: UN aid coordinatorHalf of Iran-backed groups in Syria focused on IdlibIt is known that more than 120,000 Iran-backed groups exist in Syria. Nearly half of these forces are already stationed around Idlib. 22 Iran-backed foreign terrorist groups surrounding Idlib’s de-escalation zone from three directions are present in 232 different points. 12 groups stationed in the east of Idlib and western Aleppo are as follows:Afghan-origin Fatemiyoun and Pakistan-origin Zainabiyoun brigades, Iraqi-origin al-Nujaba movement, Badr Forces, Imam Ali and Imam Hossein Brigades, Lebanese Hezbollah, Bakr Brigades, Iranian-origin Quds forces and Mahdi Army, Syrian Galibiyyun Brigades and Owner of Rights Units. Demilitarization agreement heartens civilians in IdlibIn Syria, there are other groups as well; such as Iranian-origin Basij Brigades, Liwa Zainebiyoun Brigades, Palestinian-origin Quds Brigades, Iranian Revolutionary Guards and its special forces. According to the sources speaking to an Anadolu Agency correspondent in Idlib, these groups, which are deployed in Homs and Damascus will also come to Idlib in case of a possible military operation.Iran’s losses Iran lost senior figures during the operations conducted against the Syrian opponents. According to the information compiled by Anadolu Agency from Iranian official and semi-official media outlets, at least 15 generals were killed since Feb. 2013. Iran’s heaviest toll in Syria was Hossein Hamadani, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander, who was killed in Aleppo in 2015.Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced by the conflict.
Syria’s Idlib under siege by foreign terrorists
Occupation expanding
The PKK/YPG claims that the U.S.-supplied weapons will be used in an offensive against Daesh, however the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that Washington is working to expand several bases in Kobani, Aleppo and Hasakah.
The PKK/YPG is extending its occupation to the east of the Euphrates with Washington’s support. Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor are under the siege of the terror group under the guise of fighting against Daesh. The terror group has also taken control of the region’s petrol and water sources.
The YPG-dominated SDF controls an area of about 53,000 square kilometers with a percentage of 28.6 of Syrian territory.
The details of the memorandum of stabilization of the situation in Syria’s Idlib signed between Turkey and Russia in the resort town of Sochi have emerged. The agreement is comprised of 10 articles, and notes that Idlib will be a demilitarized de-escalation zone in which Turkish and Russian armed forces will conduct patrols.Located near the Turkish border, Idlib is home to more than three million Syrians, many of whom fled from other cities following attacks by regime forces.The Syrian regime announced plans last month to launch a major military offensive in the area, long controlled by various armed opposition groups.Breakthrough agreementA bilateral meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin yielded the stabilization agreement, relieving millions of civilians who fled from the Assad regime’s brutal attacks and took refuge in Idlib.The agreement reached between Turkey and Russia was a breakthrough after a trilateral summit including Iran failed to deliver a ceasefire deal.Sochi deal gives hope to Idlib residentsThe announcement of a demilitarized zone in Idlib, Syria’s last opposition stronghold, has become a beacon of hope for residents.UK thanks Turkey for its 'longstanding role' in SyriaResidents were grappling with an atmosphere of crippling fear as talks of a looming offensive would lead to the "worst humanitarian catastrophe in the 21st century,” according to the UN.Only Turkey considers needs of locals“We see the results of the agreement as a good sign. Our hopes of returning to areas we were displaced from have been revived,” said Bedir Kaysi, who fled to Turkey from Homs as a result of regime attacks.Abdusselam Hasan, the director of a hospital in Idlib, noted that Turkey was the only country which was taking into account the needs of the locals.“We trust Turkey”“The results of Sochi have been reflected positively on the field too. Locals have organized demonstrations of support in Binnish and Maarratmisrin,” says local Ahmet Zerzur, adding that both the Turkish and Free Syrian Army (FSA) flags would be unfurled at the rallies.“The FSA flag is a sign of the continuation of the people’s revolt, and the Turkish flag is a sign of trust. We trust Turkey. We feel comfortable when Turkey is present in the region,” Zerzur stated.Win-win for Turkey and RussiaAnton Mardasov, a non-resident expert at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), dubbed the agreement reached in Sochi as a victory for both Erdoğan and Russia.“This agreement is a victory for the stance of Erdoğan who did not let a military operation target Idlib. On the other hand, it is also a victory for Russia, which did not want to join a large scale military operation,” Mardasov said.Turkish-made drones to monitor implementation of Idlib agreementSochi deal proves Turkey-Russia allianceDenis Korkodinov, Russian military expert and political scientist, said that the Sochi deal ensured that radical groups would not threaten the Syria peace process.“By forming a demilitarized zone, Ankara and Moscow have shown their alliance, which is based on high level political values,” he said.UN aid coordinator hails Idlib stabilization deal“The Sochi agreement is extremely important and definitely a step in the right direction,” Panos Moumtzis, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis said, adding that it is “very important” to avoid military escalation, protect civilians, respect freedoms, and make sure humanitarian work and access is allowed in Syria.Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million others were displaced, according to UN officials.Syrians ‘still need our help’: UN aid coordinatorDemilitarization agreement heartens civilians in Idlib
Details of Turkish-Russian Idlib deal revealed
New administration in NE Syria formed with Washington’s support
With the support of the U.S., a new administration was created for northeastern Syria during a meeting for the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) in Ayn Issa in early September. The new administration has been dubbed a coordination body that will connect the self-administrations of the Kurdish majority areas and the civil administrations in Arab majority areas that have their own civil councils.
The self-administrations in the Euphrates, Afrin, and Jazeera region with the civil councils in Raqqa, Manbij, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor will be linked by the new administration.
Top U.S. official visits terror group
William Roebuck, the U.S. ambassador to Bahrain, visited northern Syria on Aug. 26 amid negotiations between the so-called Rojava canton and Damascus over the future of the region.
“We are prepared to stay here, as the president (Donald Trump) has made clear,” Roebuck said during his trip.
James Jeffrey, the former U.S. ambassador to Turkey who was named U.S. special representative to Syria on Aug. 17, echoed Roebuck’s sentiment as he declared that Washington would remain in the region until it was completely cleared of Daesh.
The U.S. State Department omitted the PYD/YPG terrorist group from its 2017 Country Reports on Terrorism, which was released Wednesday. The previous edition of the report noted that Turkey views the Syria-based PYD/YPG as an extension of the PKK militant group.The report also said that Turkey refers to Fetullah Gulen as the leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), but the State Department described him as an “Islamic cleric”."Turkey’s counterterrorism efforts were impacted in the aftermath of the July 2016 coup attempt due to the government’s investigation of FETO," it said.According to the report, Turkey continued its intensive efforts to defeat terrorist organizations both inside and outside its borders, including the PKK terrorist organization and Daesh terrorist group.Additionally, terrorist attacks around the world decreased by 23 percent, while the number of casualties caused by terrorist attacks fell by 27 percent, according to the report.
US removes PYD/YPG from annual terrorism report
The U.S has supplied the PYD terror organization and its armed wing, the YPG, with more than 5,000 truckloads of weapons to allegedly use in the fight against Daesh, despite Ankara’s warnings that the fact they are the Syrian offshoots of the PKK terror organization.
Pentagon’s no-fly zone strategy
The Washington administration, which intends to maintain a permanent presence in Syria, has completed the construction of three advanced radar systems in Syria’s Hasakah-Tal Baidar countryside along with the Ayn al-Arab and Sarrin regions, and has set up 13 portable and fixed observation-intelligence radar systems.
Pentagon’s preparation for a no-fly-zone indicates that the U.S. administration also wants to interfere in Turkey’s military operations to ensure the safety of PKK terrorists after Ankara’s successful ops conducted in Syria’s Hasakah, Qarrah Chouk Mountains and Iraq’s Sinjar.
Sean Ryan, spokesperson for the U.S.-led Coalition against Daesh stated: “The Coalition installs satellites or other necessary equipment wherever needed within our area of operations.”
Mercenaries hired by the United States to fight as part of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terror group, have been exposed.It has been found that the U.S. works with Castle International, an American giant in the international military services marketplace, in Syria. Washington has continued to support the YPG/PKK despite Turkey’s warnings.Specialized in aviation and medical support, Castle International mercenaries are employed by the U.S. in order to fight alongside YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria. Castle International’s social media accounts posted photographs of heavily armed commandos fighting and training beside YPG/PKK terrorists, Turkish newspaper Vatan reported. US seeks to deliver Kirkuk to Peshmerga in cooperation with PKK terroristsUniforms emblazoned with YPG symbolThe article says that heavily armed commandos from the Castle International Special Projects Group (CISPG) with YPG symbols on their uniforms posed for a photograph shared on Castle International’s social media accounts.The post dated May 23 was captioned: “Why does the CISPG trust these defense personnel [YPG]? It’s simple. Because we know you work and we promise to stand by you.”Photographs of soldiers wearing YPG symbols were evaluated by experts on military forums, who say that the troops could be hired by the Pentagon to serve the terror group.Mercenaries provide “discretion driven solutions”Access to the CISPG webpage is strictly limited, and one must request access to the site. Those permitted to request access are government bodies and U.S. allied government entities. The website claims that the CISPG is staffed by discrete, quiet professionals, who support clandestine missions worldwide.Company details not availableCastle International’s LinkedIn says that the private company employs between 51 and 200 personnel, and that it is based in Cheyenne, a city in Wyoming, U.S.“Continuing our tradition of service to our great nation, SPECIAL PROJECTS GROUP™ provides Personnel Recovery and High Risk Medical Solutions. U.S. and International Government entities as well as corporations can count on true continuity of operations in austere, less permissive environments,” the LinkedIn profile notes.Those allegedly defending Syria’s territorial integrity dividing country: ErdoğanPseudo CEO“Mr. Stark” is listed as Castle International’s founder and chief executive officer (CEO). Mr. Stark, who appears to be a fabricated persona, has no listed experience other than Castle International.“As well as the founder and CEO of the Castle International family of brands and global solutions I still actively lead and successfully operate with 4-6 person CSAR teams capable of rapid worldwide deployment in support of Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and search and rescue missions,” Mr. Stark has written in the biography of his LinkedIn page.Links to CENTCOMIt is worth noting that Adrian Velasco is listed as the Special Project Coordinator for Castle International. Velasco attended the American Military University, and then went on to work in the Marine Corps Recruiting as a financial and logistics specialist before starting to work for Castle International in 2016. Velasco says that he was located at the Middle East office of the U.S. Central Command between 2011 and 2015 while he was employed by Marine Corps Recruiting.“Coordinate with the other international groups and respected government organizations in which we functionally develop and maintain operational layouts to ensure the successful execution of program requirements and delivery of program financial/mission goals,” Velasco writes about his current Castle International Special Project Coordinator position.
US sends Castle International mercenaries to fight alongside YPG/PKK in Syria
U.S. spreads bases across Syria
With its initial base establishing activities that were initiated in October 2015, Washington set up two air bases in al-Hasakah, and eight operational military bases in Raqqa and Manbij. Since July 2017, the U.S. has established five new bases, two of which were constructed in Manbij and close to the Euphrates Shield area. Two military bases were also established southwest of Tal Abyad.
U.S. sends mercenaries to fight alongside YPG/PKK in Syria
It has been found that the U.S. works with Castle International, an American giant in the international military services marketplace, in Syria.
Specialized in aviation and medical support, Castle International mercenaries are employed by the U.S. in order to fight alongside YPG/PKK terrorists in Syria. Castle International’s social media accounts posted photographs of heavily armed commandos fighting and training beside YPG/PKK terrorists.
