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Turkish-backed militants withdrew on December 5 from the al-Mabrukah electrical substation in northern al-Hasakah as a result of a Russian-Turkish agreement, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
Under the agreement, which was revealed a few hours ago by the SOHR, the station will be handed over to the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). In exchange, the Damascus government would supply the Turkish-occupied border town of Ras al-Ayn with electricity.
“Factions loyal to Turkey have withdrawn from the al-Mabrukah electrical substation, amid preparations by regime forces to enter the station,” the UK-based monitoring group said in a report.
The SOHR also revealed that Russia informed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that it will secure the strategic M4 highway, which links al-Hasakah with Raqqa and Aleppo. Turkish-backed militants will be pushed away from the highway.
In the last few weeks, Turkish-backed militants launched several attacks on the M4 highway. All the attacks were repelled by Kurdish forces and the Syrian military.
Russia’s efforts succeeded in de-escalation much of the tension in northeast Syria in the last few weeks. More will likely be achieved in the upcoming days.
