US forces set up a new base in Manbij, Syria May 8, 2018. REUTERS
Alwaght - Syria strongly condemned the presence of Turkish and American forces around the northern town of Manbij, and stressed that it is more determined to free the entire Syrian territory from any foreign force.
“The Syrian Arab Republic expresses its strong condemnation and absolute rejection of the incursion of Turkish and US troops in the vicinity of the city of Manbij, which comes in the context of the continued Turkish and US aggression against the Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity,” state news agency SANA said on Tuesday, quoting a foreign ministry statement.
The statement added, "Syrian people and the Syrian Arab Army which achieved the successive achievements against terrorist groups, are more resolute to liberate the entire Syrian soil from any foreign presence and preserve the sovereignty and unity of Syria."
The ministry also called on the international community "to condemn the US and Turkish aggressive behavior, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter."
The reaction came after Turkish and US troops on Monday began independent patrols along the line separating Turkish-controlled areas of northern Syria from the town of Manbij, which is controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The SDF’s backbone, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), has been a source of tensions between Turkey and the US, which both are military active in Syria without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.
Turkey regards the YPG as a terrorist group and an affiliate of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), but the US considers the Kurdish group an ally in Syria.
The US angered Turkey by announcing a plan for the formation of a Kurdish militant force in Syria near the Turkish border, prompting Ankara in January to launch a military operation against the US-backed militants.
In March, Turkey seized the Syrian city of Afrin and threatened to expand its offensive to Manbij.
Earlier this month, Ankara and Washington agreed a plan on the disarming and withdrawal of the YPG, from the northern Syrian city of Manbij.
However, reports have emerged that The US continues to supply the Kurdish Militias with arms.
A SDF source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Sputnik that the US is boosting its military presence in Deir ez-Zor.
"There are three US military bases in the region, where the Americans are strengthening their presence. Over the last four days, the United States has sent us 250 trucks with Hummer armored vehicles, heavy weapons, and pick-ups, as part of the operation against ISIS, which we continue to wage in eastern Deir ez-Zor. The US ammunition and armored vehicles are delivered overland from the territory of northern Iraq through the Semelka border control post, and from there to the east of Deir ez-Zor."
According to the Russian news agency, to date, the US has sent a total of 4,800 trucks with weapons and armored vehicles for the Kurdish militias.
