YPG announces it will withdraw back across the Euphrates river

The People's Protection Units (YPG) have announced that "at the request of the US-backed SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces)" they will withdraw from the territory captured to the west of the Euphrates.

The announcement comes shortly after comments made by US Vice President Joe Biden in which he warned that the YPG would "never get US support again" if they spread out across the west of the Euphrates.

However, the announcement only applies to the largely Kurdish YPG - Arab units of the SDF coalition will remain in control of the areas captured.