The U.S. media reported that some 1,500 soldiers will be deployed to Syria and Iraq to "fight against terrorist group Daesh." The move will likely anger Ankara, which complains of Washington's support for the terrorist group PKK, ostensibly to help their "fight against Daesh." A local branch of CBS reported that the New Jersey Army National Guard will dispatch its 1,500 members to two Middle Eastern countries in one of the largest military deployments in the region by the U.S. in more than a decade.
Troops will be part of Operation Inherent Resolve, a U.S. military campaign against Daesh from Iraq and Libya to Syria. Last year alone, the U.S. sent more than 3,000 soldiers to Syria and Iraq for the campaign. The website Axios reported that U.S. military presence in the region reached about 45,400 as of October 2023 and most are stationed in Kuwait.
Operation Inherent Resolve served as deterrence to the terrorist group whose presence in Iraq and Syria was significantly reduced. But Türkiye questioned why the U.S. turned to the YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. The YPG enjoys continuous support from the United States, from troops training their members to military equipment.
U.S. forces in the region occasionally come under attack. Groups supported by Iran launched Sunday a missile attack on the U.S. base of Koniko in the Deir ez-Zor province, eastern Syria, local sources said. The U.S. air defense forces intercepted two missiles before they hit the base, while one landed in the vicinity. In response, U.S. forces stationed at the same base shelled sites of the Iran-backed groups in the Hisham region west of the Euphrates. There has been no comment from the U.S. on the attacks. No material damages or casualties were reported. The territories of Deir ez-Zor east of the Euphrates are under the control of the PKK/YPG terrorist group. Meanwhile, the central part of the city and other rural areas are under the control of the Syrian regime and Iran-backed groups.
The U.S. left its bases in northern Syria after Türkiye launched its Peace Spring operation in October 2019 against the PKK/YPG, concentrating its military near oil fields. Washington, however, maintained its support for the terrorist group. But their presence inevitably led to a confrontation with Turkish forces. Last year, the U.S. downed a Turkish drone targeting PKK/YPG terrorists, to the chagrin of Ankara.
"There is no doubt that the incident has been engraved in our national memory and necessary action will certainly be taken when the time comes," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said after the attack in October 2023. Erdoğan said Turkish security forces have been entirely meticulous to ensure nobody except terrorists would be targeted during the operation. "Yet, we could not prevent this unpleasant or 'regrettable' incident (as the United States described)," he said.
The president highlighted that Türkiye's counterterrorism fight, which began 40 years ago, was being carried out on "principles," and it was largely taken beyond Turkish borders as part of a strategy to eradicate the terrorism at its source. Erdoğan said back then that they have called on the "powers" maintaining relations with terrorist groups in the region "for years" to keep their military and intelligence elements away from terrorists "so as they would not be harmed in our operations."
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in October that Turkish security forces were authorized to target everything owned or controlled by the PKK in Syria and Iraq. "Everything belonging to the PKK/YPG, from infrastructure to energy facilities, in Syria and Iraq are now legitimate targets of our security forces," he said during a news conference.
