US-led anti-Daesh coalition refrains from using attack aircraft in al-Bab, uses drones instead


Amid Turkey's calls for more active support by the U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition in its fight against Daesh in northern Syria, the Coalition is only giving limited support to Turkey's operation through armed drones while backing YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF) Raqqa assault with attack aircraft, Turkish military sources said Wednesday.

Following the statement by U.S. officials that the Coalition targeted Daesh in al-Bab in four airstrikes, Turkish military sources speaking to Anadolu Agency said that the targets were hit by armed drones sent to the region for reconnaissance purposes.

Sources said that Daesh targets in al-Bab, which were reported to the Coalition by Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), were not hit in drone strikes and much smaller targets were hit instead.

Airstrikes conducted by armed drones are not as effective as strikes carried out by attack aircraft, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the Coalition extensively uses attack aircraft in airstrikes to support SDF's advance onto Raqqa. Making up most of SDF's fighting force the YPG is the armed wing of the PYD, which Turkey considers as the Syrian wing of the PKK terror organization. The U.S., the EU and NATO also consider PKK as a terrorist group.