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US provided ‘limited ground support’ to Syrian fighters battling ISIS
The U.S. has provided some ground support to Kurdish forces.
Money, hatred for the Kurds drives Turkey’s Syrian fighters
The Syrian fighters vowed to kill "pigs" and "infidels," paraded their Kurdish captives in front of cameras and, in one graphic video, fired several rounds into a man lying on the side of a highway with his hands bound behind his back.
US special operations secrets could fall into hands of Russians and Syrians in pullout
A former U.S. military intelligence operator who spent years working with special operations forces told Military Times that the potential spillover of sensitive tradecraft or information by the SDF was “super problematic," but also a symptom of the lack of a genuine strategy in the region.
By Shawn Snow
Russian and Syrian troops fill void as US pulls troops out of Syria
With the U.S. out of the picture, the stage is set for a potential bloody conflict between the major players in Syria’s civil war that has raged since 2011.
By Shawn Snow
The end of an era: 60,000 strong US-trained SDF partner force crumbles in a week under heavy Turkish assault
The U.S.-trained force has been abandoned by its American partners and is under sustained assault by Turkish forces and their ragtag crew of proxy fighters — some who have reportedly fought under ISIS and al-Qaida banners.
By Shawn Snow
In supporting the Kurds in Syria, US has been playing fast and loose with the law
Soldiers – indeed, officers, have openly questioned the motives of the commander in chief and disparaged his order to withdraw up to 1,000 troops from areas of direct conflict in northeastern Syria.
By John Robinson
Hail Caesar and the other amazing members of the OSS
Caesar Civitella was an amazing character and, when I knew him, one of a dwindling number of living veterans of the Office of Strategic Services. We spent many hours talking about his exploits, like dropping into France to help the Maquis, or traipsing around Italy with a bunch of gold, searching for Mussolini.
By Howard Altman
US leaves behind dozens of high-value ISIS detainees as Turkey rolls through Syria
U.S. forces could not transfer about five dozen high-value ISIS detainees before the Pentagon’s decision to move U.S. forces out of the zone of Turkish military operations.
By Shawn Snow
Esper says US staying in Syria, but withdrawing south of Turkish advance and deal in works to have Russians protect Kurds
“I spoke with the president last night after discussions with the rest national security team and he directed that we begin a deliberate withdrawal of forces from northern Syria,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the CBS Sunday morning Face the Nation show.
By Howard Altman
US troops believe Turkey deliberately fired artillery at an American commando outpost in Syria
No U.S. troops were injured in the strike, but U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said American commandos temporarily withdrew from their observation post on Mishtanur hill near Kobani and returned on Saturday.
By Shawn Snow
US forces are still conducting ground and air patrols in Syria despite Turkish incursion
SMART news agency said it spoke to the leader of the U.S. commando patrol who told SMART that “their forces will target the Turkish army if it advances inside Syrian territory more than the agreed distance between the United States and Turkey,” according to a translation of the Arabic caption describing the video.
By Shawn Snow