ANKARA, January 28. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump's recent order to suspend foreign aid has reportedly resulted in a halt in funding to Kurdish armed groups in Syria, severely limiting their spending, according to the Turkiye newspaper, citing sources in the region.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its Syrian affiliate, the People's Defense Units, along with other related organizations, have been most affected. Trump's decision to reassess US aid to foreign countries cut off funding for the PKK and the People’s Defense Units, restricting their expenditures on transport, food, and compromising salary payments.
Turkiye reported that financial managers within the PKK and the People’s Defense Units have raised concerns about the challenges of maintaining their headquarters, transportation, and food supplies. They also warned that "salaries issued in January and February may be the last." Kurdish groups in Syria have allegedly ceased food and fuel deliveries to camps housing families of the Islamic State (IS, a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia).
The newspaper quoted sources claiming this is particularly true in the Raqqa and Al-Hasakah governorates. According to the sources, fighters receive three levels of "salaries": $40, $60, and $150. They also stated that the February payments may be the last, with any further funding halved, even if the group uses its own money.
Sources from the newspaper also reported that Kurdish groups in Syria fear a potential Turkish military operation in northern Syria, where the Kurds control oil fields that generate two billion dollars annually. Following the toppling of the previous Syrian government in December, up to 18,000 Arab fighters left these governorates. In the event of a severe funding crisis, only the Kurdish forces would remain in the area, the sources added.
Trump previously signed an executive order to reevaluate and reorganize US foreign aid, suspending it for 90 days. Turkey, however, continues to highlight the contradiction between the US's stance on PKK funding and the spirit of their NATO alliance, as the PKK poses a significant threat to Turkey's national security.