Syrian Kurds’ military leader tells U.S. diplomat that ‘you are leaving us to be slaughtered’

A commander for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces told a senior US diplomat that the US was leaving them to be ‘slaughtered’ as Turkey continues targeting America’s allies in Syria. 

General Mazloum Kobani Abdi directed his fury towards Deputy Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, WIlliam Roebuck, in a Thursday meeting. 

‘You have given up on us. You are leaving us to be slaughtered,’ he said, according to CNN.

He continued: ‘You are not willing to protect the people, but you do not want another force to come and protect us. You have sold us. This is immoral.’ 

Turkish soldiers and militia allies battled their way into the strategic Kurdish border town of Ras al-Ain on Saturday

The Kurdish leader demanded that the U.S. either help stop the Turkish attacks or allow for them to create an alliance with the Assad regime in Damascus. 

The alliance would bring in Russian warplanes to enforce a no-fly zone over northeast Syria, which would hinder Turkey’s ability to perform air strikes. 

American officials are not fans of the Russian alliance, however 

‘I need to know if you are capable of protecting my people, of stopping these bombs falling on us or not. I need to know, because if you’re not, I need to make a deal with Russia and the regime now and invite their planes to protect this region,’ Mazloum continued.

Turkish soldiers and militia allies battled their way into a strategic Kurdish border town on Saturday as they stepped up their assault on northeastern Syria in defiance of mounting international protests and threats of US sanctions.

The Kurdish leader demanded that the U.S. either help stop the Turkish attacks or allow for them to create an alliance with the Assad regime in Damascus and ultimately Russia

American officials are not fans of the Russian alliance, however. Roebuck pictured

After overnight clashes with Kurdish forces in the countryside, Turkish troops and their Syrian allies entered the battleground town of Ras al-Ain, sources on both sides said.

Turkey’s defence ministry hailed its forces’ capture of the first Kurdish-held town on the fourth day of their offensive.

But Ras al-Ain’s Kurdish defenders denied the semi-deserted town had fallen and an AFP correspondent said Turkish troops and their Syrian allies had entered but had yet to capture it.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who were the main partner on the ground in the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group, called on the United States to assume its “moral obligations” and protect them.

A map showing the Turkish offensive in northeastern Syria

Donald Trump has faced a firestorm of criticism, even from his own domestic supporters, for abandoning a loyal ally and stands accused of giving Turkey a green light to launch the offensive after ordering American troops to pull back from the border.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-Ankara fighters “executed” at least nine civilians on Saturday near the town of Tal Abyad, another key target of the cross-border assault.

The Kurds said a female Kurdish party official and her driver were among those killed.

On the battlefield, SDF fighters have taken mounting losses against the vastly superior firepower of the Turkish army.

At least 23 SDF fighters have been killed, bringing the over death toll since the Turkish offensive began on Wednesday to 81, said the Syrian Observatory monitoring group.

Turkish air strikes on Kurdish-held towns and intense artillery exchanges caused mounting casualties on both sides of the border.

On the Syrian side at least 38 civilians have been killed, the Britain-based Observatory said, and 18 civilians inside Turkey have died from Kurdish shelling, according to Turkish reports.

Four Turkish soldiers have been killed, Turkey’s defense ministry and state-run Anadolu news agency said, while the Observatory said the Kurds have lost control of 27 villages since Wednesday.