| answer text |
<p>We recognise the difficult circumstances the Syrian Kurds face in the midst of
the continuing civil war and their fight against ISIL. We welcome the Kurdish Peoples
Protection Units (YPG/YPJ) and allied Free Syrian Army militia driving out ISIL from
Tel-Abyad with the assistance of Coalition airstrikes.</p><p>The UK is not providing
any direct assistance to the YPG or its political wing the Democratic Union Party
(PYD), although we are supporting Coalition airstrikes which have helped groups, including
the YPG win significant victories on the ground. We remain concerned that they continue
to maintain links with the Assad regime and the PKK, the latter of which is a proscribed
terrorist organisation in the UK. In the past year, UK officials have discussed our
concerns with the PYD.</p>
|
 |
