Kurdish US-allies halting anti-ISIS operations because of threat from Turkey-backed rebels, SDF commander warns

A apical commandant successful Syria has warned that a resurgent ISIS is starting to instrumentality vantage of the chaotic autumn of Bashar al Assad.

The lightning beforehand by absorption groups connected Damascus has been the absorption of overmuch attraction but the gyration has created powerfulness vacuums crossed the country.

What's happening successful Syria is an accidental but besides a infinitesimal of large jeopardy.

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As the state struggles to look from the acheronian and brutality of the Assad authorities galore groups are vying for presumption successful this caller world - and it is successful that abstraction that Islamic State successful Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is trying to stitchery strength.

In the northeast, the Kurds are disquieted astir what whitethorn happen.

One of the astir important figures successful this portion is General Abdi Mazloum, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

He is informing the West that ISIS is already trying to exploit the turmoil.

"ISIS is present stronger successful the Syrian desert. Previously, they were successful distant areas and hiding, but present they person greater state of question since they look nary issues with different groups and are not engaged successful struggle with them," helium tells Sky News.

He adds: "In the areas nether our control, their activities person besides increased. Just a fewer days ago, 3 members of the Internal Security Forces were killed adjacent al Hassakah successful an ISIS operation."

Since the civilian warfare began, Syria has been divided into antithetic areas of control.

Regional and planetary powers besides clasp sway successful definite parts - the Turks, the Russians, the Iranians and the United States.

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The SDF was created successful 2015 arsenic a conjugation aimed astatine warring ISIS.

The SDF is chiefly composed of Kurdish fighters from the YPG (People's Protection Units) and YPJ (the pistillate equivalent of the YPG) and is backed and trained by the United States.

Ideologically, it is aligned with the territory known arsenic Rojava, which is an autonomously administered region.

Following the decision of ISIS successful 2019, it besides ended up controlling ample areas of northeast Syria - which is present a flashpoint.

Opposition rebel groups privation to determination into those cities, towns and villages and already determination person been clashes.

General Mazloum hopes the concern tin beryllium managed.

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He says section commanders are communicating with their counterparts successful rebel groups to support a lid connected the tensions.

But the narration with Turkish-backed forces - similar the Syrian National Army - is overmuch much hard to manage.

The warring with these groups has been much intense.

Turkey is alarmed by the Kurdish power connected its borderline and is trying to rotation it back.

It has launched incursions into Syria and has sponsored militias to execute its goals.

Ankara views the YPG and YPJ - a halfway portion of the SDF - arsenic not overmuch antithetic from the PKK, a separatist question that it has designated a violent organisation.

If the tensions are not kept nether power they could escalate significantly.

At the infinitesimal the Americans are attempting to enactment arsenic an intermediary.

But General Mazloum says the clashes with Turkish-backed groups are making it much hard to ore connected stopping ISIS from regenerating.

As a effect of the information situation, they person had to suspend counterterror operations.

"At the moment, associated operations against ISIS are halted. This is not a determination but alternatively a subject reality, arsenic the conjugation is besides preoccupied with the ongoing conflict. Therefore, I accent that if these attacks persist, associated operations volition stay suspended," helium says.

He besides warns that it's imaginable that ISIS prisoners kept successful detention camps and prisons could flight successful the chaos.

ISIS encourages attacks connected these jails arsenic a mode of freeing its astir ideologically hardened recruits.

"Generally, the effectiveness of our forces and those of the conjugation against ISIS diminishes erstwhile we are focused connected protecting civilians and our communities, arsenic efforts are redirected toward the ongoing conflict. This is wherefore I accidental that if the warring continues and intensifies, it volition play into ISIS's hands," the wide adds.

"Frankly, determination is presently a important menace to the information of these detention centres."

While Syrians observe the extremity of the Assad regime, determination is large peril up and the spectre of the re-emergence of Daesh, the different sanction that ISIS is known arsenic - a radical the West thought had been defeated.