The U.S.-led coalition confirmed reports Saturday that it will establish a 30,000-strong new border security force with the People's Protection Units (YPG)-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria, a move that has already angered Turkey. With the offensive against IS winding down, the coalition and its allies in the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance were beginning to shift their focus to border security, coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon told AFP. "There is a goal of a final force of approximately 30,000," about half of whom would be retrained SDF fighters, he said. Currently, there are approximately 230 individuals training in the BSF’s inaugural class, with the goal of a final force size of approximately 30,000," according to the coalition's representative. That's an inaugural class," Dillon said. Backed by the US-led coalition's air strikes, special forces advisers, and weapons, the SDF has ousted IS from swathes of northeastern Syria. "The Border Security Force will be stationed along the ERV to the west, along the Iraqi border to the southeast, and along the border with Turkey to the north. Turkey reacted sharply to news of the border force on Sunday, saying it would "legitimise a terror organisation". Ankara is fiercely opposed to the SDF, which is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- considered by the Turkish government to be a "terrorist" group. "Rather than end its support to the PYD-YPG, these steps taken to legitimise a terror organisation and to make it permanent in the region are worrying," said Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for Turkish President "Accepting this state of affairs is absolutely not possible," Kalin added. "Accepting this state of affairs is absolutely not possible," Kalin added, in comments reported by Turkish media. Top SDF media official Mustefa Bali confirmed the creation of the border force, and said training had already begun. "We are transitioning to a new phase of coordination between us and the international coalition," Bali told AFP. “The wide areas and cities that were liberated need someone to protect them.”

Bali said the new units would be deployed along the Turkish border and adjacent to territory held by Syrian troops, but did not immediately respond to a question on rules of engagement in those areas. Turkey has often targeted YPG positions in northern Syria and, on Sunday, Erdogan threatened to attack the Kurdish-held area of Afrin in northern Syria "in the days ahead". The SDF's relationship with regime forces is less tense. Since last year, a "de-confliction line" cutting diagonally across eastern Syria has largely kept the two forces from clashing. There was no immediate reaction from the Syrian government to the border force announcement. He declined to comment on possible "rules of engagement" between the border units and Turkish or Syrian troops. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Joseph Votel announced last month that they would establish border forces in Syria, which he said would help prevent the resurgence of Daesh. "With the fight against IS, as the remaining pocket continues to go away, we know that doesn't mean the end of Daesh," he told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS. "We'll have to make sure that there is security that can be maintained," he said. Dillon said SDF troops in Syria's east were already coordinating with Iraqi forces across the border to target any "transient movement" by IS fighters between the two countries.
The U.S.-led coalition confirms reports that it will form a new 30,000-strong Syrian Border Security Force (BSF). Half of the forces will be Syrian Democratic Forces veterans. Another 15,000 will be recruited and trained in the near future.