A dissident leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who expelled the Daqash organization from the city of al-Raqqa, recounted the fall of the city, saying that thousands of al-Qaeda fighters had left in a secret deal approved by Washington.
“The forces have prepared to transport all the remaining militants from an organized organization from the city of Raqqa, although they said at the time that they were fighting hard-line foreign extremists to defend the city,” said Talal Silo, a former commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces.
US officials have described Seelo’s statements as “false and fabricated” but a security official in Turkey, where Selo fled three weeks ago, has reported similar incidents of a stinging defeat in his Syrian stronghold of tenderness.
Turkey differs with Washington over US support for the Kurdish Democratic Syrian forces that led the fighting in al-Raqqa.
“Less than 300 fighters have left with their families while others have continued to fight,” Silo was spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces and one of the officials who told the media in mid-October when the deal was reached.
But he said in an interview with Reuters that “the number of fighters allowed to leave is much higher and that what was narrated from a final battle was a mere fantasy aimed at keeping journalists away until the completion of the evacuation.”
He added that “a US official in the international coalition against the organization did not give his name and agreed to the deal in a meeting with a leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
At the time, there were conflicting accounts as to whether foreign fighters had been allowed to leave Al-Raqqa.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said later that one of the drivers in the evacuation described a convoy of length to seven kilometers of 50 trucks and 13 buses and 100 vehicles belonging to the organization “Daash” loaded with fighters and ammunition.
The Turkish government has expressed concern that some fighters who have left the border may cross into Turkish territory and may be trying to launch attacks in Turkey or the West.
“An agreement has been reached that the terrorists will leave about 4,000 people and their families,” Silo said.Adding that “they were all fighters except 500 people.”
He pointed out that they headed east to the territory under the control of the “Daash” organization around Deir Ezzor, where the forces of the Syrian army and forces supporting President Bashar al-Assad gains.
For three days, Syria’s demilitarized forces prevented people from going to al-Raqqa, saying fighting was raging to deal with militants who refused to surrender.
“The declaration was a cover for those who had gone to Deir al-Zour,” he said. “The agreement was approved by the United States, which wanted a quick end to the battle of tenderness so that Syria’s democratic forces could move to Deir al-Zour.”
Source: Reuters
Ahmed Badian
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