US Considers Supporting Turkish-Backed Rebels on Syrian Border to Fight Daesh

The United States is contemplating providing military support to Turkish-backed rebels fighting near the Syrian border in an attempt to weaken the Daesh jihadist group.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday cited unnamed US officials as saying that the Obama administration is considering providing air, intelligence and possibly other support to Ankara-backed Syrian rebels based in the border area near Turkey, which could help sever Daesh supply routes, however, a decision has yet to be made on the issue.

Ankara announced early on Wednesday that Turkish forces, reinforced by US-led coalition aircraft, had begun a military operation to clear the Syrian border town of Jarablus of Daesh militants. Media reports emerged of a massive presence of Turkish-backed rebels in the wake of the Jarablus offensive along the Syria-Turkey border, which are allegedly fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army.

On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that Ankara would provide "all kinds of support" required to liberate Syria and Iraq from Daesh.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting a number of opposition factions and extremist groups, including terrorist group Daesh, banned in Russia and many other countries.

The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been conducting anti-Daesh airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014. The airstrikes in Syria, however, are not authorized by the government of President Bashar Assad or by the UN Security Council.