The Syrian regime army sent reinforcements from the powerful First and Third Divisions to the Kurdish-held areas in northern Aleppo countryside at the contact lines with the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, sources told Zaman al-Wasl Tuesday.
The two military convoys came from Damascus countryside and southern Daraa province, and were stationed on Tuesday morning at Menagh Military Airport, which is controlled by the regime and Russian forces, north of Aleppo city.
The reinforcements come as Turkey prepares a new military operation against the Kurdish YPG-led forces in northern Syria.
According to the sources, the reinforcements included 18 Grad launchers, 30 T62 and T72 tanks, 25 122, 152 and130 guns, in addition to pickups and vehicles carrying more than 400 soldiers.
Part of the forces were stationed near military points controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on the outskirts of the city of Al-Bab and the outskirts of the town of Marea, which are controlled by the Syrian National Army, within what is known as the "Euphrates Shield" area, north of Aleppo.
The sources added that a military convoy of fifty cars, 150 fighters from the "Local Defense" militia backed by the "Iranian Revolutionary Guards", left from the towns of "Nubul" and "Al-Zahra" in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and arrived on Tuesday night at Menagh airport.
The Russian forces also transferred five Russian Sukhoi-34 warplanes and four K-52 helicopters from the Hmeimim base on May 24, and were stationed at Qamishli Military Airport, which is completely controlled by the Russian forces in the northern countryside of Hasakah.
Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to launch a new military operation in Syria to secure Turkey's southern border.
Speaking following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan said the aim of the operation would be to resume Turkish efforts to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along its border with Syria.
“We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30-km deep safe zone we established along our southern border,” Erdogan said.
Turkish forces have launched three major incursions into northern Syria, taking control of areas along the border in a bid to secure its frontier from threats from the Islamic State group and Kurdish militia group, the People’s Protection Units, or YPG.
Turkey views the group as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK which is listed as a terror group by Turkey, the US and the EU. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. (With Agencies)
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.