News / Turkey

Turkey captures top Syrian Kurdish commander: Report

Monday, 15 March 2021 6:59 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 15 March 2021 6:59 PM ]

Turkish soldiers stand before a group of demonstrators (unseen) near Ariha in Syria’s militant-controlled northwestern province of Idlib, May 12, 2020. (File photo by AFP)

Turkish intelligence agents have captured a senior figure from a US-backed Kurdish militant group operating in Syria.

State news agency Anadolu reported on Monday that Ibrahim Babat, a “brigade commander” from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), was caught during an operation inside Syria and brought back to Turkey.

The militant commander provided information on plans to attack Turkish military posts on the Turkey-Syria border.

Babat is said to have been born in Qamisli, northeastern Syria.

Ankara views militants of the YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The YPG is the backbone of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The United States has long been providing the SDF with arms and militant training, calling the forces a key partner in the purported fight against the Daesh Takfiri terrorists group. Many observers see the support in the context of Washington's plans to carve out a foothold in Syria.

The Turkish government is discontented with the White House’s support for the SDF.

In October 2019, Washington gave the green light to Ankara to proceed with a long-planned move against the Kurdish fighters. Turkey’s incursion of Syria officially started.

Ever since, the United States has also been redeploying troops to oil fields controlled by Kurdish forces in eastern Syria.

The Pentagon alleges that the move aims to “protect” the fields and facilities from possible attacks by Daesh.

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