Syria Condemns US-Led ‘Border Force’ Plan


Syria Condemns US-Led ‘Border Force’ Plan

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An official source in Syria’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the US-led coalition’s plan to create a 30,000-strong “border force” in the country’s northeast, slamming it as part of US destructive policies that fuel tensions in the region.

In comments on Monday, the Syrian foreign ministry source denounced Washington’s plan to establish a so-called Border Security Force (BSF) as another hostile ploy to rip regional countries apart, fuel crises, and obstruct the settlement of conflicts in the region.

“Syria strongly condemns the US announcement on the creation of militias in the country’s northeast, which represents a blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity and unity of Syria, and a flagrant violation of international law,” said the source, cited by state news agency SANA.

“Syria considers any Syrian who participates in these militias sponsored by the Americans as a traitor to their people and nation, and will deal with them on this basis,” the source added.

It came after the US-led alliance against Daesh (ISIL) announced on Sunday that it was working with Arab and Kurdish fighters to establish the Border Security Force, which would be responsible for preventing a “resurgence” of Daesh in areas where the terrorists had been cleared by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a multi-ethnic alliance of predominantly Kurdish fighters.

The SDF has ousted Daesh terrorists from swathes of territory in the east and north of Syria, including the bastion of terrorists in Raqqa.

“A strong Border Security Force will prohibit Daesh’s freedom of movement and deny the transportation of illicit materials,” the US-led coalition said.

In an emailed statement on Monday, it said it aimed to create the 30,000-strong force “over the next several years”.

Turkey reacted sharply to news of the border force on Sunday, saying it would “legitimize a terror organization”.

Ankara is fiercely opposed to the SDF, which is dominated by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), considered by the Turkish government to be a “terrorist” group.

Most Visited in World
Top World stories
Top Stories