{"id":47238,"date":"2019-10-11T19:06:02","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T19:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/10\/11\/how-the-pentagon-plans-to-protect-american-forces-in-syria-from-turkish-attacks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:25:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:25:17","slug":"how-the-pentagon-plans-to-protect-american-forces-in-syria-from-turkish-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/mideast-africa\/2019\/10\/11\/how-the-pentagon-plans-to-protect-american-forces-in-syria-from-turkish-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Pentagon plans to protect American forces in Syria from Turkish attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said in a press conference today that the American forces have not abandoned their Kurdish allies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 As Turkey continues an incursion into Syria<\/a> targeting Kurdish forces backed by the U.S., the Pentagon has given the Turkish military detailed coordinates of where American forces are, and a stark warning: American personnel in Syria have the right to defend themselves, even against a longstanding NATO ally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to reporters Friday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and the newly-installed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, made frustrations with Ankara\u2019s decision to attack Kurdish forces that had been working with the U.S. and allies<\/a> to defeat the Islamic State group, and emphasized that the U.S. was not \u201cabandoning\u201d Kurdish forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Esper made it clear that their highest priority is defending American military personnel<\/a> in the region, even as Turkish President Recep Erdogen has put the U.S. \u201cin a tough situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t