US and Syrian Kurds launch a joint offensive against ISIS in Syria -

Damascus/Erbil: The US military in Syria and the Syrian Kurds carried out a massive joint operation against the ISIS terrorists. It is the first major open joint operation of the United States and the Kurds ever since the announcement of the US military’s withdrawal from Syria. Within only a few hours of the action, US Vice President Mike Pence visited the Kurds in Iraq and assured that the United States was standing firmly behind them.

The United States carried out counter-terrorism action, jointly with the Kurdish militia of the ‘Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)’. The United States and Kurds are said to have executed the operation in the Deir ez-Zor region. In a joint statement, the United States and Kurds declared to have detained many ISIS terrorists during the action. They also stated that although the fight against the ISIS and other terrorist organisations had been suspended for some time, it was not over.

The Syrian Kurds and the United States thus delivered a clear message saying that the military action against the ISIS, which suffered a setback because of the Turkish operation in Syria, would continue. Turkey’s reaction to the United States and the Kurdish offensive is anticipated. Also, Turkey’s strong response is expected on the US Vice President’s visit to Iraq.

US Vice President Mike Pence visited Iraq on Saturday and met Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi. Furthermore, he went to the Kurdistan Province in Iraq as well and met President Nechirvan Barzani as also held prolonged discussions with him. At the time, Pence assured that the United States was standing firmly behind the Kurdish people and clarified that there was no change in the US policies on the Kurds in Iraq and Syria.