Ongoing talks between Kurdish forces and Syrian gov't on deployment of Syrian armed forces in Afrin

Kurdish forces hold meeting with Russian officials and the Syrian government to reach an agreement on deploying Syrian forces in Afrin. Mayadeen and Sputnik say YPG reaches agreement with gov't on deployment of Syrian armed forces in Afrin
Thursday, 15 February 2018 23:30

Kurdish YPG militants and the Syrian government have reached an agreement on the deployment of the Syrian Armed Forces in Syria's Afrin district, according to reports from the Lebanese media published on Thursday.

According to a report from Mayadeen citing a source with a knowledge of the situation, the decision was made in order to protect the district and counter the attacks of Turkey or its allies in Afrin,

On January 25, Kurdish authorities in Syria's Afrin district called for the Syrian government to send troops to help defend themselves from the Turkish assault, turning for help to the very government from which they have sought autonomy.

The Syrian Armed Forces will enter the territory near the border with Turkey in the district of Afrin in Syria in the next few days, as agreed with the Kurds, a source familiar with the situation told Sputnik on Thursday.

SOHR: TALKS STILL ONGOING BETWEEN RUSSIA AND YPG

However, the opposition Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR) reported that Kurdish forces held a meeting with Russian officials on February 15. According to SOHR’s report talks are still ongoing between the Russians and the YPG to reach an agreement on the deployment of border guards and the civil police of the Syrian forces in Afrin.

The U.S. IS UNAWARE OF AN AGREEMENT

However, the US State Department is unaware of an agreement that would see the Syrian Armed Forces enter the enclave of Afrin in northern Syria, a spokesperson told Sputnik.

"No I won’t," the State Department spokesperson said on Thursday when asked to comment on the deal that paves the way for  Syrian Armed Forces to enter Afrin.

The Turkish AKP government officially declared the launch of an offensive in Afrin region in northwest Syria on January 20. The government's excuse for the offensive was an alleged threat against national interests and border security.

Damascus has condemned the operation as a violation of Syria's sovereignty. Damascus had warned Turkey's AKP government against launching a military operation in Afrin and said that Syrian air defences stood ready to defend against such an attack.