The United States has prevented Russia’s efforts to form a new fighting force in regions of northeastern Syria controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Anadolu news agency said on Thursday.

Russia’s plan would have seen the new units trained by SDF forces, Anadolu said.

Local sources who spoke to Anadolu agency on condition of anonymity said that U.S. forces had warned young people in Amuda and Tel Tamer on several occasions not to join the new group as they said they would be sent to fight as mercenaries in Libya, where Russia is backing the eastern-based Libyan National Army against the U.N.-recognised government in Tripoli.

Anadolu said that Russia had given up on the plan to form a group because the number of applicants had been fewer than 100.