Syria slams presence of France, Germany; Berlin denies accusations

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Syrian government said on Wednesday, June 15 French and German forces were present in northern Syria, an accusation denied by Germany, Reuters reports.

Syrian state media said the government strongly condemned the presence of French and German forces in Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobani, and Manbij.

"Syria...considers it explicit and unjustified aggression towards (Syria's) sovereignty and independence," state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

Germany's defense ministry denied that German special forces were in northern Syria and said repeated claims by the Syrian government to this effect were not and had never been true.

"There are no German special forces in Syria. The accusation is false," a ministry spokesman said, according to Reuters.

The U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) are currently staging an offensive against Islamic State near Manbij, while Kobani is under the control of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, part of the SDF.