Italy sends troops to support YPG in Syria’s Deir Ez-Zor: Reports

DEIR EZ-ZOR – Anadolu Agency

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Italy has reportedly sent troops to Deir Ez-Zor city in eastern Syria to support the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers a terrorist group for its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), according to local sources.

Troops have been dispatched around a week ago to areas controlled by group in the region near the Iraqi border, the sources speaking on anonymity told the state-run Anadolu Agency.

According to the sources, the Italian soldiers arrived last week to the city of al-Hasakah coming from Iraq before heading to Deir Ez-Zor.

Soldiers have been sent to the U.S. military base in the oil-rich al-Omar region, the sources said.

The Italian soldiers, whose number is unknown, include military advisors who supported U.S. and French forces in operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The soldiers have so far never participated in any military operations against ISIL.

ISIL has been besieged in two separated border areas near the Iraqi border, particularly near Deir Ez-Zor and al-Hasakah.

In May, the YPG, backed by the U.S. and France, began an anti-ISIL operation.