Russian Troops Deployed to Syria’s Ain Issa As Clashes Escalate
Rokna: Russian forces have been dispatched to Ain Issa, northeast Syria, following an escalation in clashes between the Turkish-backed militants and the Kurdish-led militants of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in mid-December.
The SDF reported daily shelling on the city from Turkish-backed forces for the past week. The sound of fighting could be heard from sunset until noon.
Ain Issa sits approximately 45km (28 miles) by road from Tel Abyad, a city flanking the Turkish border and captured in October 2019 during Ankara’s so-called Operation Peace Spring.
The SDF is comprised of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers to be linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The operation resulted in Turkey capturing the cities of Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ain near its border and controlling an area 20km deep into Syria.
According to al-Ahed news website, Russian police forces have been deployed to the area to help return security to the city as 6,500 people from the city, plus a further 3,000 people from the surrounding villages, have fled since mid-December.
A man who remained in the city, asking to withhold his name for fear of reprisals should the TSNA take over Ain Issa, said he does not have anywhere to flee to.
“We are here and we will not leave the city … We live here peacefully, and they threaten us with these attacks, what do they want?” he told Al Jazeera.
Russia is trying to cede control to the Syrian military to help normalize life there and let people rebuild their houses, the report added.Follow the Official Rokna NEWS Telegram Channel For More and fresh NEWS.
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