Thread by @jseldin

#SDF positions in northeastern #Syria "very weak" against #Turkey-backed forces, per #SDF Gen. Mazloum Kobani Abdi, speaking thru translator on a teleconference

He describes the situation as "frustrating...We trusted the security mechanism sponsored by the United States”

“We are now preparing ourselves for a long military operation that might take more than a year,” per #SDF Gen Abdi on #Turkey incursion in NE #Syria

“They want to attack all the Kurdish towns…they want to destroy all of our area” says #SDF Gen Abdi of #Turkey's military operation in NE #Syria, saying Turkey will turn the area into "another #Idlib"

#SDF's Gen Abdi warns troops continue to guard abt 9,000-12,000 #ISIS prisoners-50% of which of from #Syria

“If they [#Turkey] don’t stop the war, our soldiers are going to have to leave…All of these people are going to go to protect their villages,their towns, their families”

NEW: #SDF commanding Gen. Mazloum Abdi claims #Iran-backed forces have started attacking the SDF from the south, in #DeirEzzor

Thru interpreter, #SDF Gen. Abdi says he spoke Thursday w/@CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Kenneth McKenzie

“The image of the #UnitedStates has changed dramatically" per Abdi "We are feeling that we are abandoned"

As far as Kurd-US relations, #SDF Gen Abdi adds, given what has happened, “The situation is going to change”

JUST IN: #SDF Gen. Mazloum Abdi confirms presence of US forces near #TalAbyad, #Syria but says "They did not go to Tal Abyad" and were securing the M4 road “This is part of a routine [operation]”

NEW: #SDF Gen. Mazloum Abdi says he just sent a letter to @POTUS

“I ask him to mediate between us & #Turkey, not thru war but through dialogue & discussion”

@POTUS “We want them [the Americans] just to impose a no fly zone” per #SDF Gen Abdi “President Trump is capable of doing this”

@POTUS “The #Turks are still determined…they don’t believe in discussion or negotiations” adds #SDF Gen Abdi “They have somehow, impossible demands from us”

@POTUS #SDF "very worried" US will withdraw forces from #Kobani, following pullback from #RasalAyn and #TalAbyad in #Syria per Gen Abdi

“We still trust the United States" per #SDF Gen Mazloum Abdi, but says "if the situation is going to continue like this” they will have to consider other options, like the #Syria regime or #Russia

“This is a very bad choice, a very negative choice that we would never want to take” per #SDF Gen Abdi on turning to #Assad or #Russia for support, but will have to if other option is Turkish rule & ethnic cleansing

@POTUS #SDF commander says #Turkey's airstrikes targeted the evacuated US bases near #RasalAyn & #TalAbyad

@POTUS Despite @DeptofDefense @EsperDoD assurances of support, “We cannot fight #ISIS from one side & #Turkey from the other" says #SDF Gen Mazloum Abdi

Abdi says US still providing MRIs, some weapons for fight vs #ISIS but that weapons/ammo running low

@POTUS BREAKING: #SDF Gen Mazloum Abdi confirms #Turkey shelled/targeted prison at #Qamishli Friday morning, allowing 5 #ISIS to escape - they have not been recaptured

Internal security officials add 2nd prison holding #ISIS detainees targeted in the past ten minutes

@POTUS #SDF estimates it is holding 12,500 #ISIS fighters in prisons across #Syria, 50% in areas being targeted by #Turkey

“We don’t have the time to be relocating them” per Gen Mazloum Abdi “Protecting the prisons became a secondary issue for us. It is not a priority for us any more"

@POTUS Information from #SDF's Gen Abdi differs from the estimates shared Thursday by a senior @StateDept official, who said "There are few or no [#ISIS] detention facilities" in areas subject to #Turkey's military operation

https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1182416232043204610?s=20

@POTUS @StateDept “There are no American troops that are guarding this prisons” for #ISIS, per #SDF Gen Abdi, adding “We will never ever give these terrorists to #Turkey”

@POTUS @StateDept Asked what #ISIS prisoners will do if they are not handed over to #Turkey & are let go by the #SDF, Gen. Mazloum Abdi says, “Everybody is attacking us. They can attack us as well"