Turkey is preparing to launch a military operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria
Today, Monday, the Turkish “Haber” newspaper announced, in a report, that preparations are taking place in the capital, Ankara, regarding a possible operation in northern Syria, where Turkish officials met with the leaders of the Syrian opposition factions to discuss the fourth operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The newspaper pointed out that information was exchanged between officials in Ankara and the leaders of the Syrian factions about the strategy and tactics of the operation that will be implemented with two main lines and an army of 35,000 people, and the locations and numbers of soldiers who will serve on the fronts of Tel Rifaat, Manbij, Ain Issa and Tal Tamr were determined.
The newspaper stated that experienced soldiers from the Syrian National Army will be deployed in several areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, and who participated in previous operations such as “Afrin, Euphrates Shield and Peace Spring.”
The newspaper stressed that Turkey is closely following all the movements of the Syrian Democratic Forces, by air and by land, before the operation, which is still under preparation, as tunnels, logistical centers, transport points, camps, and communications systems that were dug in and around Tal Rifaat, as well as in Manbij, Ain Issa and Tal Tamr, were identified.
Ankara discussed with the faction leaders the Kobani file of the Ain al-Arab region, stressing the need to liberate the Ain al-Arab region in order to cut the “Qamishli-Manbij-Kobani” line, and to ensure direct contact between “Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad” with the Euphrates Shield areas.
The two sides also discussed the importance of monitoring the Iraqi-Syrian border and the smuggling of weapons and ammunition from the areas near Manbij, Tal Rifaat and Ain Issa, stressing the importance of preventing shipments coming from the “Sinjar-Qandil” corridor.
