Click to see the full-size map. IMPORTANT: the map in the article shows approximate areas which could be transfered to the Syrian army. The more info will be avaliable after comments by Damascus and Moscow.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) primarily consisting of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) will hand over wide areas west of the northern Syrian town of Manbij to the Syrian army, according to a statement released by the so-called Manbij Miltiary Council (MMC) – another entity created to hide the presence of Kurdish YPG fighters in the area.
Click to see the full-size image
“Defending the civilians and protecting them from the adverse impact of the war, ensuring the security of Manbj and frustrating the invasion plans of the Turkish army against Syrian soil are the goals we we have taken for all the peoples living on the lands of Syria.
In order to realize these goals of ours, we as Manbij Military Council state that we have handed over the defense of the line – where villages between the positions of our forces in western Manbij and Turkish-affiliated gangs are located – to Syrian state forces as part of the alliance we have made with Russian officials,” the Kurdish Hawar News Agency quotes the MMC statement.
Thus, the SDF wants to use Syrian army troops as a buffer against Turkish-backed militant groups in northern Syria and refers that this decision is made after talks with “Russia” – a clear aim to use the Russian and Syrian military and diplomatic capabilities to defend itself from Turkey.
SF recalls that Talal Silo, a spokesman for the SDF, argued that the US is the only SDF partner in Syria just few months ago (August, 2016):
“It’s forbidden to negotiate with the Russians because we seek for an alliance with the United States. It’s impossible to communicate with any other party and to not lose the credibility of the international coalition. Of course, we are free, but we can not attack if there is not signal from the Americans.”
“We will not unite with the Syrian army against ISIS because our forces operate only with the forces of the international coalition led by the United States. We are partners of the United States and the coalition. They make decisions. There can’t be a coordination between the Russians and us. Because first of all we have a strategic partnership with the international coalition led by the United States.”
It seems the SDF/YPG dramatically changed its attitude in March 2017 after it had became clear that few US Special Forces troops were not enough to save the “US-backed opposition force” from the Turks.
After taking control of al-Bab, Ankara openly announced that it’s going to clear Manbij from PKK-linked terrorists.
Turkey sees the YPG as just a branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), with which Turkey has been at war almost continuously since 1984. In turn, the PKK seeks to establish an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey.
Intense clashes already took place between Ankara-led forces and the YPG west of Manbij and both sides suffered casualties in late February and early March.
Turkey has been also deploying additional troops and military equipment in Syria and Ankara-led militant groups are preparing to storm the important YPG-held town of Tell Rifat.
There are still no official reports which areas the Syrian army will control in the Manbij countryside. However, there are two options (important – the map in the article shows approximate areas which could be transfered to the Syrian army):
- The Syrian army enters villages west of Manbij (1 on the map). Thus, Ankara will not be able to attack the YPG/SDF from this direction because this will lead to an escalation between Turkey and the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance. This is not a useful option for Ankara at this moment. In this case, Turkey-led forces will be able to attack Manbij only from the direction of Jarabulus, from the south.
- The Syrian army enters villages west and north of Manbij (1, 2 on the map). This will prevent any Turkish attempts to attack the SDF/YPG in the coutnryside of Manbij. On the other hand, this option pushes the “US-backed force” to transfer more villages to the Syrian government.
In any case, one problem will remain. Ankara-led forces will still be able to attack the YPG/SDF in northwestern Syria and Tell Rifat will be an obvious target for this effort.
This looks like an excellent plan!! HAHA Erdodog, what are you going to do now? Attack Afrin out of frustration? How about going to war with everybody (do you have enough body bags for your troops). HAHA
I guess that answers the debate we have yesterday, like I said YPG will side with Assad, now it is all about Turks will to invade Syria and Russia’s will to defend it from NATO.
Defend it from Turkey , NATO already told Turkey , they are on their own in Syria as NATO is a defensive organization .
Forgive me, but NATO is as defensive as the 3rd Reich. I get what you’re saying, however it all comes to the interests, NATO was backing the Kurds, but if they turn their back on western interests NATO will get back to support Erdogan trying to conquer a piece of Syria.
Except Erdogan has no friends in NATO. There is not a government in Europe who could explain it to its citizens why thy’re joining forces with the Great Sultan of Ankara against the Kurds, who have been the darlings in the Western media.
Media will twist everything and suddenly Erdogan will look like a hero, don’t forget the power of big brother and his minions.
Not! Going! To! Happen!
We’re talking about a PR miracle that has to happen on the scale of making Donald Trump likable to leftists. It’s just not possible. Nobody in Europe likes Erdogan. Left or right. He sits just barely above Trump in the impopularity index
Also don’t forget that while NATO would be technically obligated to defend Turkey in case of invasion, it’s up to the individual nations to decide what that help will be. If they really wanted to the rest of NATO could just say: Bad Russia! Bad Syria. We got your back, Turkey, and do nothing. It’s not for nothing that Poland and the Baltic states have pushed so hard for quick rapid reaction forces to be formed and an actual commitment from the rest of NATO. They were fearing to be left to hang out to dry just for that.
You are underestimating Big Brother and that’s dangerous. Don’t forget that libtards are nothing more than lab rats, they will react accordingly to the stimulus they are injected. Want to know why they hate Trump? It is only because MSM tells them so, if tomorrow MSM starts praising Trump in one week he will be acclaimed as heroe! And the same will be true for Erdogan… boy, I still remember the funeral of the King of KSA, all MSM praising him as a philantropist saint! What a joke!
I never said NATO will be defending Turkey, I said it will be helping Turkey to attack Syria IF kurds stops playing by their tune, which is already happening.
Only time will tell, let’s wait.
And you come across as a conspiracy thinker who thinks in absolutes. It takes many months, up to a year at least to change public opinion from a very negative one to a positive one. If a war were to erupt that would call for article 5 to be activated no such lead in time will be available. All the more so if its seems clear that we’re being called for to rescue the Great Sultan from his own mess he made for himself in Syria.
As for the King of KSA, A: I saw no such positive reporting on him in the MSM when he died, quite the contrary in fact and B: not much is being reported on the King of the KSA, certainly nothing on the kind that gets reported almost daily on Erdogan. Just yesterday it was in the news that Dutch politicians don’t want his foreign minister to come her to campaign to Dutch nationals of Turkish origin to vote for Erdogan’s big referendum. He has interfered too much in Europe, gotten too bad a press and seems proud of it for that image to be changed from the current extremely negative to positive. Similarly with Trump. It would take at least a year for that to be changed.
You are right , in view of today’s news , that the Syrian government and the Kurds have come to this agreement is fantastic , a dream come true . The only problem I see , is does the SAA have enough man power ?
As you said, this is great news! Hopefully this line will not have much activity, requiring not to much SAA man power. Erdogan needs to keep his FSA dogs on a tight leash for this to work out well.
It all depends on Russia will to confront the West, however russians will have to pay the price, this will be the last play from both sides, if russians decide to hold Syria then it will be cold war 2.0 full force, world divided between USA/NATO/Israel+Saudi Kingdoms and Russia/Syria/Iran/China and others, unfortunately India will keep playing neutral and Brazil is too far gone, it became a failed state doomed to be 3rd world forever. Unfortunately the West will still have the upper hand as they hold a stronger position on South America and Africa, but still I think the West is on decay, so the eastern blockwill only need to build defenses and wait the west rot from inside out, but it might take a very long time.
The rebel supporters are salty after this development . The new Map – https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C56kO4cWgAAv5kx.png
good map mate. The Kurds have chosen the winning side, but always have to be cautious with them.
The Syrian Armed Forces managed today to fully recapture the ancient city of Palmyra.
The Kurds have more territories in Raqqya e Deir Ezzor
nice map thanks! what are the dots? cities? and how many more ISIS do you think are left in syria to deal with?
Is good or bad? Maybe was better to move thousands of troops by Raqqa to Manjbi to fight the turks. In this case USA must do somethigs. Now? Or you do a real alliance with Assad and Russia or you must give them all territories in the frontiers. And is difficolut, also for Assad to defend them
Erdogan will not back down, partly because he’s an Israeli puppet, mostly because he really believes to be the Chosen One to lead Turkey into a glorious future. From his point of view the Syrish Kurds must be destroyed, at all costs. Sooner or later there will be open war between Turks/FSA and SDF/SAA/Russians.
No my friend, even though at times they are untrustworthy, they have helped us in part in this war. Not only that, they realized the importance of Syria and its government and how they will perish if they want to become automatized.
The cutoff Syria Arab Army did to the turks to reach SDF was a great military strategy but also economically because the people can travel roads to the Northern Syria to do trades and make money; keeping the economy flowing. And with the veto on the sanctions and embargo, Syria will rise back faster than before. Plus us Syrians are known for being “The house of all.” We have taken many ethnicities in our nation and to say “Syrian Kurds must be destroyed at all costs,” we are no better than Erdogan himself. We are not men of committing genocide. We are Syrians.
We do not discriminate based on religion or ethnicity. This is why Syria is the way it is and how peaceful it was before this shitty proxy war happened.
Poor Sultan of Turkeystan got checkmated by Syrian-Russian-Kurdish alliances.
It will be interesting to see how this will work out. The Syrian Army will need thousands of men to defend this area. And they would be spread rather thin.
There is also the question of Afrin, that is likely to be the first to be attacked by the Turks and that isn’t involved in this deal.
Most likely the NDF will be occupying this territory while the Tiger Forces will be advancing east to Raqqa, Dier Ezzor, Dier Haffar. Many soldier have been freed up after clearing up pockets from certain areas in Damascus. Not only that, the Syrian Arab Army isn’t occupying the land by themselves, the Syrian Kurds (YPG and SDF will be in the line with them since they formed an alliance). This places an political and military problem for Erdogan because attacking Syrian Arab Army face to face will cause a big escalation in the war of Syria (which is good for us Syrians).
Now basically we are daring the Turks to attack Manjib now, because if the Turks decide to proceed, then a big war will emerge causing the Russians, Syrians, USA, YPG and SDF against Turkey. Keep in mind Erdogan will not attack cause of Russia as it will destroy all the advancement on the political agenda.
Thousands of men OR one good deal with Syria, Russia and Turkey for not attacking each other. :) According to me, a perfect move, check-mate! :)
what a nice situation for World! USA and Russia decided to act together againts turkey. They will get the peace all over the world, they are “dove of peace” for human.they are not invader that come from thousands kilometers away, but Turkey is the biggest threat to the world because trying to ensure the border security againts terrorist groups .