Pentagon seeks to invest $550M on PYD/PKK in FY2019

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Pentagon on Monday requested $300 million to train and equip PYD/PKK terrorist group, which also uses the name SDF, and $250 for building the terror group-led “border security force” in Syria.

According to the Pentagon's budget proposal, its plan for 2019 also contains $850 million for train-and-equip activities in Iraq to counter-Daesh elements.

"The training, equipment, and operations support in this request will consolidate the gains achieved against ISIS [Daesh] and prevent its reemergence," it said in the proposal.

With its new budget proposal, the Pentagon plans to allocate a total of $1.4 billion for fiscal year 2019, slightly less than its 2018 budget with $1.8 billion.

The U.S. has supported the PYD/PKK, which is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization that has waged a more than 30-year war against the Turkish state.

American support for the terror group has long vexed Ankara as Washington views the PYD/PKK-led SDF as a "reliable partner" in its fight against Daesh and continues to provide it with arms and equipment in the face of strong objections by Turkey.

The PKK has fought a 33-year war against Turkey that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.