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The terrorist group YPG/PKK made a swap deal with terrorist Daesh to get back seven U.S. soldiers captured by Daesh in eastern Syria, local sources told Anadolu Agency.
In Syria’s oil-rich eastern Deir ez-Zor province, the U.S. soldiers were detained in September during a clash between Daesh and the U.S.-backed YPG/PKK, the Syrian branch of the terrorist PKK, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to security concerns.
With the help of local elements, Daesh and the YPG/PKK began negotiating on Sept. 28 over getting the soldiers back, the sources claimed.
A solo show by a Syrian painter on Monday opened its doors in Istanbul.Ibrahim al-Hasan's exhibit "Childhood on the Sidewalk," featuring 20 paintings, had a gala opening at the Independent Arts Foundation in the Fatih district's Cagaloglu neighborhood, on the city’s European side.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, al-Hasan said that he lived in Turkey for four years. Stating that his new technique can be seen in the exhibit, al-Hasan said that it concentrates on children as they are the most vulnerable to the effects of war."All of these wars must end now,” he said.“These children will grow up after a while. We are all responsible for the children who are uneducated and we all have to do something individually."At the opening gala, Hulya Yazici -- founder and chair of the Independent Arts Foundation – praised al-Hasan as an important artist who has enriched Turkey.The exhibit will be open for visitors through Nov. 25.Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating civil war that began in 2011. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict and millions more displaced, according to the UN.Turkey hosts some 3.5 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world.As of November 2017, there were some 620,000 Syrian school-age children enrolled in school in Turkey, according to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Syrian painter opens solo show in Istanbul
Daesh pressed the YPG/PKK to withdraw from some oil wells including Azraq and allow the entry of some medical supplies as well as food items in some areas in return for releasing the U.S. troops.
Under the deal between the two terrorist groups, the YPG/PKK withdrew from the wells and the U.S. got its soldiers. The medical supplies and food items have not been sent yet, according to the sources.
Coalition denies claims
A spokesman for the U.S.-led international coalition forces denied the claim that Daesh had captured seven U.S. soldiers.
“The coalition is not involved in any deal with ISIS,” said U.S. Col. Sean Ryan, using another acronym for Daesh.
U.S. troops have begun patrols in northeastern Syria, a military official confirmed Monday.The patrols come after the Turkish military shelled several PKK/YPG positions in the region last week. The YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK terror group.At a news conference, Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning said the "assurance patrols" with SDF forces started Friday."While there is no set timetable for these specific patrols or regularity, these patrols will allow us, Turkey and our SDF partners to maintain the safety and security of the region," said Manning.On combined joint patrols that started with the Turkish military in Manbij, Manning said: "These patrols and our continued efforts to de-escalate tensions will allow us to focus on our goal of ensuring the enduring" defeat of Daesh.The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, it has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.Returning refugees killed in Syria: Lebanese ministerFrance issues arrest warrants for senior Syrian officials close to AssadSyrian tribes call for boycott of YPG/PKK in Raqqa
US begins patrols with SDF in northeast Syria
US has admitted previous deal
But the YPG/PKK and Daesh have made previous deals that were reported on.
Last November, the Pentagon defended a PKK/PYD deal to allow hundreds of Daesh terrorists to escape the besieged city of Raqqah.
Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said the agreement, which reportedly allowed 250 fighters and 3,500 of their family members to flee on Oct. 12, was part of a “local solution to a local issue,” namely the siege of Daesh’s de facto capital in Syria.
“The central priority here was the protection of civilian lives and the arrangement was reached by our partners and their local affiliates,” he told Anadolu Agency at the time.
Since this Sept. 11, Daesh and the YPG/PKK have been trading blows, especially in Deir ez-Zor’s rural Hajin district, which is located in the east of the province.
Despite getting support from both the U.S. and France, the YPG/PKK has consistently failed to make any gains, with the group only holding positions briefly before being forced to retreat in the face of fierce counterattacks by Daesh.
According to the latest estimates, the YPG/PKK currently holds about 28 percent of Syria’s territory.
Daesh, for its part, still maintains an active presence in three parts of Syria, accounting for roughly 3.3 percent of the country’s total territory.
Calling the PYD/PKK-led umbrella group the SDF a "reliable partner" in its fight against Daesh, Washington continues to provide it with arms and equipment, even as Turkey stresses its terrorist identity.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.