Exclusive: U.S. general recommends arming, aiding Syrian fighters after pullout

FILE PHOTO: General Joseph Votel, the head of the U.S. military's Central Command, speaks aboard the USS New Orleans as it travels through the Strait of Hormuz July 11, 2016. REUTERS/Phil Stewart/File Photo

MUSCAT (Reuters) - The United States should keep arming and aiding the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) following the planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria, provided the group keeps up the pressure on Islamic State, a senior U.S. general told Reuters on Friday.

The recommendation by Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East as head of Central Command, is one of the strongest signs yet of U.S. military hopes for an enduring partnership with the SDF despite the concerns of NATO ally Turkey, which says Kurdish SDF fighters are terrorists.