KRG seeks US help to rein in Turkish attacks
While the United States has denied rumors that a US military delegation met with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party in the Qandil mountains, sources tell Al-Monitor that a team of US special operations forces went to inspect sites damaged in Turkish airstrikes.
Kurdish Twitter was aflutter Aug. 2 with claims that a US military delegation had met with members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a State Department-designated terrorist organization, at their headquarters in the Qandil mountains separating Iraq from Iran.
According to one version of the story, a convoy carrying the US forces made its way under US air cover to the mountain range. The Americans told the PKK that it would need to remove itself from northeastern Syria and stop meddling in its affairs. In return, the United States would help its Syrian Kurdish allies consolidate their autonomy project.
US officials swiftly denied any assignation with the PKK had taken place. A State Department spokesperson said no such meeting with PKK representatives occurred, telling Al-Monitor via email, “There is absolutely no truth to this claim.”
A representative for US Special Operations Command referred Al-Monitor to US Central Command, a spokesperson for which said CENTCOM was “not involved in nor is aware of any such meetings” involving the Kurdish guerillas.
