A number of Syrian Kurds believe the U.S. should help them against Turkey as the Kurds have supported Washington against the Islamic State (IS) militarily.

In an interview with the Guardian, Elham Ehmed, the co-chair of Syria Democratic Council, has blamed NATO for remaining silent over Turkey’s attack in Afrin, calling the silence as a grave mistake.

She went on to add that the U.S. and the anti-IS coalition have to remember that they could not defeat the IS so soon if they had not enjoyed the support and help of the Syrian Kurdish forces of the Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG).

Meanwhile Muhammad Hassan, a Syrian local Kurdish official told the daily that the U.S. told not to wait for any help against Turkey’s invasion, continuing to add that Kurds were a strategic U.S. alley but Washington has restricted its aids due to its ties with Ankara

Reporter’s code: 50101