The United States has reiterated its support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Syrian affiliate People's Protection Units (YPG) , as a U.S. commander said he had seen no evidence linking the YPG to attacks on Turkey from northern Syria over the past two years.
"Of those YPG fighters, I've talked to their leaders and we've watched them operate and they continually reassure us that they have no desire to attack Turkey, that they are not a threat to Turkey, in fact that they desire to have a good working relationship with Turkey," Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend told a Pentagon news briefing, speaking remotely via video link.
"And I have seen absolutely zero evidence that they have been a threat to, or have supported any attacks on, Turkey from northern Syria over the last two years," he added.
Previously, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Gen. Joseph Votel said there is no obstacle for children under 15 to be armed by the YPG.
The U.N. does not approve of armed groups recruiting people under the age of 18 under any circumstance.
Ankara has been expressing its frustrations regarding U.S. support of the PYD and YPG, which also is a large faction of the Syrian Defense Force (SDF), which all fight against Daesh.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU. Since Turkey considers the PYD to be a PKK affiliate, Ankara says Washington should not cooperate with it.
Previously, Gen. Votel visited YPG and SDF terrorists in the northern Syrian town of Kobane.
Photos show Votel giving the YPG and SDF a weapons shipment and talking about the upcoming Raqqa operation to oust Daesh from the city.
The photos also show that children were among the terrorists who were also armed by U.S.
Photos also show that the weapons were delivered in Cougar MRAP-type armored vehicles.
During his visit, Votel and the YPG and SDF agreed to concentrate on Manbij where Turkish military-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters are to conduct an operation soon to drive the PYD from the town.
