Kirby said that U.S. military efforts in Syria and Iraq were solely focused on countering the threat from ISIS. He was responding to a question about Turkish operations against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq and of using U.S. taxpayers’ money to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the reporter said had issued several statements opposing the Turkish activities.

According to Ahval Kirby said he was “not going to get into individual groups”.

“As we have long said, one of the best ways to ensure a sustainable defeat of ISIS is to do so through local indigenous force. And we are working in Syria with the SDF, and we have - and we're working with Iraqis in Iraq,” Kirby said.

The SDF is dominated by the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which are an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The latter has been fighting an armed insurgency for Kurdish political autonomy in Turkey since 1984 and has bases in northern Iraq that are being attacked by Turkey. It is recognized as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

“If you're asking me if I think the taxpayer's well-served by the coalition efforts to defeat ISIS, I would -- I would say absolutely they are,” Kirby said.

Reporter's code: 50101