Top US commander for ME in secret Syria trip

QAMISHLI, Syria: The top US military commander for the Middle East made a secret trip to northern Syria on Friday to meet a US-backed alliance fighting the Islamic State group, the alliance’s spokesman said.

General Joseph Votel, who heads US Central Command (Centcom), met with leaders from the Syrian Democratic Forces in the first such trip under the new US administration.

SDF spokesman Talal Sello told AFP that Votel "discussed the increase of coordination and support to the SDF in the era of Donald Trump".

"There were promises of heavy weapons in future stages," Sello said.

In an online statement, Sello said Votel had met with several SDF commanders.

"The results were positive. We discussed the developments in the Euphrates Rage campaign and shared military matters," Sello said.

He described the meeting as "confirmation of US support for our forces".

An SDF source told AFP the visit lasted four hours.  According to a senior source in the SDF, "Votel confirmed the coalition’s commitment to protecting Manbij from any attacks waged by Turkey or supported by it, as part of its previous commitment to protecting the area."

Manjib is a city in Aleppo province.