Evidence Shows Kurds Have Received MANPADS and TOWs

According to Al-Masdar, Kurdish YPG have received a shipment of MANPADS and TOWs from the United States to counter Turkish aircraft and armored vehicles if the situation deteriorates as part of a bargain on 15 January 2018.

Obtaining intelligence data on the forthcoming Turkish offensive the U.S. Special Operation Forces (USSOF) well in advance delivered these weapons in Afrin and handed it over to the Syrian Kurds.  

This has been witnessed and reported by Turkish president Erdogan. While addressing the audience in Elâzığ Province, he stressed that the Pentagon had sent weapons including MANPADS for further use against the Turkish AF and military hardware.

A number of independent Twitter activists have already confirmed the information. İbrahim Haskoloğlu has published information on weapons captured from Kurds in the cantonment of Afrin.

Another Kurdish Internet activist and witness, Ahmad Masih, twitted Kurds are really equipped with about 100 MANPADS and TOWs and are ready to use it against the Turkish armed forces at any moment.

Besides, a geopolitical and security analyst on MENA, Michael A. Horowitz, published footage of YPG’s attack with the perfect use of a guided missile to target a Turkish tank. As a result, the vehicle was destroyed.

The news about Kurds supplied with MANPADS and TOWs regularly appeared before. For instance, some field units closely linked with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK, so hated by Erdogan) published some footage showing a downed Turkish helicopter.

Massive usage of MANPADS and TOW by Kurds hasn’t been recorded yet. Possibly it is due to US SOF hasn’t trained enough specialists. Instead, initiating the Operation Olive Branch and invading the Kurdish-controlled territory, Ankara just pre-empted the US.