US Defenes Department Is ‘Concerned’ about Clashes between Turkish-backed Militants and SDF

Brett McGurk is deeply concerned about the situation in Syria

US special envoy for the fight against Islamic State, Brett McGurk, expressed a deep concern about clashes between Turkish-backed militants and the so-called “Syrian Democratic Forces” (mostly Kurdish YPG units) in northern Syria.

“We want to make clear that we find these clashes – in areas where ISIL is not located – unacceptable and a source of deep concern,” he wrote in Twitter on August 29. “We call on all armed actors to stand down…the US is actively engaged to facilitate such deconfliction and unity of focus on ISIL, which remains a lethal and common threat.”

Western media and experts have already used his words, quoting a briefing by the Department of Defense, to proove the United States’ will to de-escalate the situation in northern Syria.

All these came amid reports that the United States had stopped arms supplies to the US-backed (or we have to say “not backed”) Kurdish forces in Syria.

DOD: We want to make clear that we find these clashes — in areas where #ISIL is not located — unacceptable and a source of deep concern.

— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) August 29, 2016