Tillerson: We have never sent heavy weapons to the Kurds

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the US has never provided heavy weapons to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

He said this in Beirut before his visit to Turkey in response to a journalist's question. Ankara considers those units a terrorist organization, and they are the main ally of the US in the fight against the Islamic State.

"We have never given heavy weapons to the YPG so there is nothing to take back," Tillerson said.

Washington's program to arm the YPG is the subject of a bitter dispute with Turkey.

Turkish officials say US President Donald Trump has told them Kurdish armed groups will no longer receive weapons. The White House called it an "adjustment of military support" to the organization.