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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 29 november 2017
Syrian Kurdish official to US: Don't turn your back on us

By SARAH EL DEEB sages from northern Syria
Associated Press late on Monday.
BEIRUT (AP) — A senior Syr- The U.S. said it will maintain
ian Kurdish official said its "presence to fight Dae-
Washington would un- sh and to reinforce stabil-
dermine the campaign ity in liberated areas." This
against Islamic State means, Ahmed said, the
militants and Americans administration is "starting a
would lose their place in new phase focused on sta-
the region's fight against bility and administration."
terrorism if they "turn their Daesh is the Arabic name
back" on their only ally in for IS.
Syria — the Kurds. "We can't judge what the
The comments by Ilham Americans are thinking,"
Ahmed, a member of the Ahmed said. "But one thing
political arm of the U.S.- is obviously clear, and that
backed Syrian Democratic is if the Americans turn their
Forces, were in response back on their only partners
to the U.S. administration's (in Syria), it means they will
suggestion that military aid withdraw from the fight
to the Kurdish-led forces against Daesh in the Mid-
may be halted. dle East."
Over the weekend, the "If they really decide to
White House and the Pen- stop the support, this Syrian citizens ride their motorcycle past U.S. armored vehicles, on a road that links to Raqqa city,
tagon said there will be means they are giving a northeast Syria. Syria's long-running civil war may be winding down, but even if the conflict ends,
"pending adjustments to chance for Daesh to re- Syria is a changed country with a dizzying array of local militias and thousands of foreign troops,
the military support" to the appear and spread," she some of whom may never leave.
SDF, though there was no added. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
specific confirmation the The Trump administration ated the city last month. securing the Kurdish forces' White House said there will
arms flow would stop alto- announced in May it would They have been pushing hold in northern and east- be "pending adjustments
gether. start arming the Kurds in down the Euphrates River ern Syria. to the military support pro-
Ahmed said nothing in the anticipation of the fight to Valley, chasing IS militants Following a call between vided to our partners on
statements specifically in- retake the city of Raqqa, along the border with Iraq President Donald Trump the ground in Syria, now
dicates the arms supply the de-facto capital of IS. and east of the river, cap- and Turkey's Recep Tayy- that the battle of Raqqa is
would stop, but she added The Kurdish-led SDF liber- turing oil and gas fields and ib Erdogan on Friday, the complete."q
that the "vague" phrasing
appears aimed at appeas- Yemen: UN ship's cargo unloaded in rebel-held port
ing Turkey. Ankara sees the
Syrian Kurdish fighters as By AHMED AL-HAJ a Saudi-led coalition fight- ing unloaded in the port of els, known as Houthis, had
an extension of its own in- Associated Press ing Shiite rebels in Yemen. Salif, which is also in rebel promised to reopen Ye-
surgent group it labels "ter- SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Ye- The officials say the ves- hands. men's main airport and the
rorists." meni officials say a U.N.- sel belonging to the World The officials spoke on con- port of Hodeida to humani-
Such vague statements chartered aid vessel has Food Program docked in dition of anonymity be- tarian traffic last week.
can be a double-edged docked and its cargo was Hodeida earlier on Tues- cause they weren't autho- It went to war in March
sword, Ahmed said. She being unloaded in the key day. They also say that rized to talk to reporters. 2015 on behalf of Yemen's
spoke to The Associated port of Hodeida, following another vessel, carrying The Saudi-led coalition internationally recognized
Press in a series of text mes- a three-week blockade by commercial cargo, is be- fighting Yemen's Shiite reb- government.q