Pentagon rejects any Turkish attack on North and East Syria

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Pentagon warned Turkey of any potential new attack against North and East Syria. In a speech delivered at the Middle East Institute, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dana Straul stated: “We strongly oppose any Turkish operation in northern Syria and have made our objections clear to Turkey.”

She indicated that the Islamic State (ISIS) is going to take advantage of that operation.

“ISIS oversees the detention facilities where its fighters are held as populations to reorganize their forces,” Straul said. “If there are military operations that will focus the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on moving north to protect their communities from air campaigns or ground operations, there is only so much SDF going around.”

Straul added that the U.S. is committed to maintaining its forces in Iraq and Syria until the final elimination of ISIS.