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Syria: Turkey-Backed Rebels Threaten US Soldiers, Chase Them out of Town (Video)
Adam Hill 7 hours ago | 1,048 8
Apparently US had the bright idea of embedding its special operations troops with the Turkish-rebel forces in northern Syria. The Turks are massing in the town of al-Rai ostensibly for a move against ISIS-held al-Bab and the Americans wanted to be a part of this. FSA rebels however had different ideas:
A small group of US special forces troops entered the Syrian town of al-Rai, already occupied by Turkish troops and were quickly forced to flee from the city, amid vocal threats from the Free Syrian Army (FSA), accusing the US of being “crusaders†and vowing to “slaughter†them.
Aside from vowing to "slaughter" the "crusaders" the rebels also insisted Americans were "kufirs" (derogatory term for non-Muslim) and anyone working with them was a "dog" or a "pig":
“Christians and Americans have no place among us,†shouts one man in the video. “They want to wage a crusader war to occupy Syria.â€
Another man calls out: “The collaborators of America are dogs and pigs. They wage a crusader war against Syria and Islam. â€
In the video US troops are not wearing current digital camouflage uniforms but they carry American weapons and are wearing the distinctive round helmets favoured by US special forces so there is no doubt as to who they are:
As Americans were leaving they were escorted by Turkish army tanks which helped prevent the incident from turning into a firefight:
Rebel sentiment may be understandable considering that hundreds of US special forces are embedded with the Kurdish YPG militia with whom the Turkish-backed FSA elements are essentially at war with.
Moreover thanks to the Lavrov-Kerry deal on Syria the US is moving closer to cutting off and bombing al-Qaeda's Nusra Front which is a dear ally of many of these rebels.
The incident showcases the bizarre, dangerous and reckless policy of Washington in Syria which basically can not decide which side is it on. The revelation US troops attempted to work with Turkish-backed rebels as well will certainly make the working relationship between US troops and the Kurdish YPG quite a bit more awkward.
On the other hand US moral, diplomatic, logistical and now direct military backing for the rebellion is failing to win America any friends with the rebels either. In a moment when the US is shielding even the jihadist Ahrar al-Sham and Jaish al-Islam from Russian strikes and insisting they're good guys even the supposedly cuddly, moderate FSA has to hold itself back not to shoot up the American "crusaders".
Syria: Turkey-Backed Rebels Threaten US Soldiers, Chase Them out of Town (Video)
Adam Hill 7 hours ago | 1,048 8
Apparently US had the bright idea of embedding its special operations troops with the Turkish-rebel forces in northern Syria. The Turks are massing in the town of al-Rai ostensibly for a move against ISIS-held al-Bab and the Americans wanted to be a part of this. FSA rebels however had different ideas:
A small group of US special forces troops entered the Syrian town of al-Rai, already occupied by Turkish troops and were quickly forced to flee from the city, amid vocal threats from the Free Syrian Army (FSA), accusing the US of being “crusaders†and vowing to “slaughter†them.
Aside from vowing to "slaughter" the "crusaders" the rebels also insisted Americans were "kufirs" (derogatory term for non-Muslim) and anyone working with them was a "dog" or a "pig":
“Christians and Americans have no place among us,†shouts one man in the video. “They want to wage a crusader war to occupy Syria.â€
Another man calls out: “The collaborators of America are dogs and pigs. They wage a crusader war against Syria and Islam. â€
In the video US troops are not wearing current digital camouflage uniforms but they carry American weapons and are wearing the distinctive round helmets favoured by US special forces so there is no doubt as to who they are:
As Americans were leaving they were escorted by Turkish army tanks which helped prevent the incident from turning into a firefight:
Rebel sentiment may be understandable considering that hundreds of US special forces are embedded with the Kurdish YPG militia with whom the Turkish-backed FSA elements are essentially at war with.
Moreover thanks to the Lavrov-Kerry deal on Syria the US is moving closer to cutting off and bombing al-Qaeda's Nusra Front which is a dear ally of many of these rebels.
The incident showcases the bizarre, dangerous and reckless policy of Washington in Syria which basically can not decide which side is it on. The revelation US troops attempted to work with Turkish-backed rebels as well will certainly make the working relationship between US troops and the Kurdish YPG quite a bit more awkward.
On the other hand US moral, diplomatic, logistical and now direct military backing for the rebellion is failing to win America any friends with the rebels either. In a moment when the US is shielding even the jihadist Ahrar al-Sham and Jaish al-Islam from Russian strikes and insisting they're good guys even the supposedly cuddly, moderate FSA has to hold itself back not to shoot up the American "crusaders".
