Russian forces have deployed radars in a former airfield of the U.S.-led coalition in northeast Aleppo, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on July 1.
According to the monitoring group, a Russian convoy consisting of ten armored vehicles, communication systems and two radars entered the Sarrin airfield. The radars and the communication equipment will be installed there.
Click to see full-size image. Source: Google Earth – Maxer Technologies
The U.S.-led coalition withdrew from the Sarrin airfield and many other positions in Aleppo and Raqqa last year in order to facilitate a Turkish attack on its ‘local allies’ in northeast Syria – the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Soon after the withdrawal of U.S. forces, Russian troops landed in the airfield. The Russian military announced that a control point as well as an aid and reconciliation center will be established there.
The deployment of radars indicates that Russian forces are working to develop the Sarrin airfield, which is located near the border town of Ayn Arab, also known as “Kobane.” The radars may be a part of a new early warning and air-defense network meant to cover northeast Syria.
