US: `Imperative` to isolate Raqqah

By Kasim Ileri

WASHINGTON

The U.S.-led coalition is planning to soon isolate the Syrian city of Raqqah using local forces, including PKK/PYD elements, despite concerns about the group, a U.S. general said Wednesday.

“We think there's an imperative to get isolation in place around Raqqah because our intelligence feeds tell us that there is significant external operations attacks planning going on, emanating central in Raqqah,” U.S.-led coalition commander Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend said during a videoconference from Baghdad.

Although he acknowledged Turkey’s concerns about PKK/PYD elements and YPG militants, Townsend said the coalition would use Syrian Democratic Forces to isolate the city.

“The only force that is capable on any near-term timeline is the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG are a significant portion. So, we're negotiating, we're planning, we're having talks with Turkey and we're gonna take this in steps,” Townsend added.

The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, EU and the U.S.

According to Turkey PKK's affiliates in Syria, namely the PYD and its military wing, the YPG are driving a separatist motivations in northern Syria by creating cantons along the Turkish border.

Ankara has repeatedly asked Washington not to support the PYD and YPG elements nor work with it in Syria.

Responding to an Anadolu Agency question about Turkey’s role in the fight for Raqqah, Townsend said he would also like to see Turkey as well as any other coalition partners in the Raqqa offensive, noting that the coalition is still refining its military plan for the liberation of Daesh’s self-declared capital.

Noting a complicated political and security environment in Syria, Townsend said the ultimate liberation of Raqqah would “probably take longer than Mosul”.

He added that there are sufficient number of local militia to isolate Raqqah but the coalition still has a plan to recruit, train and equip more forces, particularly among Raqqah locals.

“The local forces will do most of that recruiting,” he said. “We'll help them. They're actually quite capable of running their own training.”

Regarding PKK’s involvement against Daesh in the northern Iraqi region of Sinjar, Townsend said it is that country’s security forces that will clear Daesh and allow locals to return to their homes.

“They're (PKK elements) a fact of life on the ground and we're going to have to work in and around them when eventually the Iraqi security forces go to Sinjar,” Townsend said. “But I think actually -- you know, the force that's really going to liberate Sinjar is going to the be the Iraqi security forces … then folks who are supposed to be there will be welcomed back in to take up their homes again and folks who aren't from there will probably be asked to leave, whoever they are,” he added.