Russia reinforces Kurdish controlled areas in Syria

Russia has increased the numbers of its forces in the Syrian city of Afreen, which is controlled by ultra-hardline leftist Kurdish militants northwest of Aleppo, Turkish state-run Anadolu reported yesterday.

Russia had previously based its forces in four different bases and outposts, but has now expanded that to seven bases. This measure came days after a Turkish airstrike targeted PYD Kurdish militants in northern Syria.

Turkey considers the PYD and YPG to be sister organisations to its own Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a separatist extremist group that has killed tens of thousands of civilians during its fight against the Turkish state.

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Local sources said that Russian forces and PYD militants have started to organise patrols in the area between Afreen and parts of Aleppo’s countryside controlled by the Syrian opposition, as well as near the area close to the Turkish border.

Previously, Russian forces were positioned in Kafr Janna, Deir Ballout and Ghazwiyeh on the outskirts of Afreen. Russian forces have now taken positions in Al-Wadi, Jabal Bfanoun, Al-Liwaa 135 and Tal Ghajar.

On 25 April, the Turkish army announced that it had killed 89 terrorists, including militant Kurdish leftist commanders, in airstrikes targeting the PYD, YPG and PKK in Sinjar, northern Iraq, as well as in Qarrat Chalk in northeastern Syria.