Putting a Spoke in the Wheel: Turkey 'Seriously' Delays Battle for Raqqa

2487

141

19:38 31.05.2016(updated 20:31 31.05.2016)

Turkish opposition to the strongest US-backed military faction in the war against Daesh in Syria has seriously delayed a battle to reclaim the terrorist group’s de facto capital in the city of Raqqa, according to a report by the private intelligence firm Soufan Group on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Kurdish forces in Northern Syria represent the strongest credible military ground force against Daesh terrorist group, which claims to have established an Islamic caliphate based in Raqqa.

"Fears in Ankara of a credible Kurdish proto-government are superseding fears surrounding the continued existence of the Islamic State [Daesh]," the report stated. "As a result, Turkish objections have seriously delayed the campaign to retake Raqqa… Managing who enters and ultimately holds Raqqa is as important as how it is initially reclaimed."

'Second Front': Turkey Wants Joint Operation With US in Syria, But Without Kurds

Last week, US Special Forces fighting alongside the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria were ordered to remove YPG insignia from their uniforms, a standard practice for embedded US forces on a foreign battlefield.

Although the YPG forces have been the most effective ground forces in the US-led coalition’s effort to drive Daesh from Raqqa, Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group.