An official from the US Department of State confirmed his country was intent on working with regional allies to flight ISIS and regain occupied sites. He added that Secretary of State John Kerry affirmed during the last ministerial meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, that the success of the US strategy against ISIS depends on having an effective partner on ground.
The official emphasized, during an exclusive interview with Sharq Al Awsat, support was needed for the ground forces fighting ISIS, saying: “We are making progress as the Kurdish forces have expelled ISIS from Sinjar and Kurd Ahwal in northeast Syria. The two cities were considered major ISIS centers for transportation and telecommunication.
When asked about the composition of ground forces and the readiness of countries in the region to contribute militarily, the US official said: “USA welcomes any true effort from partners fighting ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The battle is long and no doubt we will work more closely with our partners”.
Separately, official Turkish and opposition Syrian sources confirmed, in comments to Sharq Al Awsat, that the Turkish project aiming to establish a safe zone on the Syrian borders is stumbling due to the escalation of Kurdish military forces and the downing of the Russian airplane.