Russia, US and the Kurds: The friend of my enemy is — wait, what?
While the world squabbles over who is helping or should help Syrian Kurds, the Kurds aren't turning down aid from any quarter.
The rumors and subsequent denials of competition between Russia and the United States over Syrian Kurds are beginning to resemble a game of Clue: Who did what, with what, to whom and where?
Some recent reports have Russia providing ammunition and coordination to the Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) armed forces, known as the People's Protection Units (YPG). Other reports beg to differ.
Mohamed Ala, YPG press spokesman at Afrin, told Al-Monitor, "Russia has not sent any troops or ammunition to Afrin. During recent attacks by jihadi groups at Tell Firat, we didn’t get any assistance from regional and international parties. Here, I am talking of Russia and the Syrian regime. Is it logical for that regime to help us out at Afrin when the Syrian army is fighting us at Qamishli and Hasakah?”
Yet according to information reaching Al-Monitor, Salih Muslim, co-chair of the YPG-affiliated Democratic Union Party (PYD), met Russian officials in Geneva last week and complained that Russia has been constantly saying it will support the YPG but to this date hasn't done so.
