Alwaght- Syrian Kurdish sources have announced that the Syrian Arab Army has entered regions in the north controlled by a Kurdish autonomous administration.
The advance into the Kurdish areas follows a Turkish offensive targeting the Kurdish factions.
Manbij is the first town to see the Syrian army entering since the home conflict erupted in 2011.
The Lebanese broadcaster al-Mayadeen said on Sunday the Syrian army would deploy within 48 hours to the town of Kobani, the Reuters reported. The Syrian Democratic Forces are in control of the town which is the center of an autonomous Kurdish canton with the same name.
The move comes as the Syrian government said units of the army are deployed to the north to confront the Turkish “aggression” in the Syrian territory.
The SDF said that it reached an agreement with the central government to facilitate its advances in the Kurdish-controlled areas.
Russia, an ally of Syria, appears to be part of the agreement that cleared the way for the Syrian army’s entry to Kobani.
The Kurdish factions earlier said they intend to strike a deal with the central government and its backers if Washington fails to protect them.
They are feeling largely betrayed as the American President a day before the Turkish military action, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, said he removed the American forces from the Kurdish-controlled region.
The SDF and the US have been working as close allies since 2014. The Kurdish militias acted as the US infantry on the ground in the north and northeast.
The northern regions are bordering Turkey which argues they are harboring the “terrorist” forces that pose a risk to Turkey’s national security.
Turkey launched the attack following the failure of joint efforts with the US to establish a safe zone in the north.
Washington and Ankara disagreed on who will be in full control of the zone. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his forces should be given the job to be able to at the same time fight militias risky to Turkey.
The Turkish operation, assisted by Syrian rebels, in less than a week killed “dozens” of Syrian Kurds and displaced hundreds of thousands.
The Kurds warn the Turkish operation blocks fight against the ISIS terrorist group and risks its return.
