Syrian government forces set to enter Kobani and Manbij in SDF deal

Syrian government forces were poised to enter the northeastern Syrian cities of Kobani and Manbij on Sunday, October 13 after a deal with the Syrian Democratic Forces to fight against Turkey-backed rebels.

Kobani official General Ismet Sheikh Hasan said that Russian and Syrian government troops could enter Kobani and Manbij by Sunday night to help secure the cities from a Turkish incursion.

“We did everything we could,” he said. “We have called upon the West [and] the Arab Union but no one is coming to help, so we have no one other than ourselves to defend [Kobani]. Kurdish youth should come and defend their homes, and people should not abandon their homes – this is our land. It looks like this is the fate of the Kurds, to go through this each time.”

The Democratic Administration of North and East Syria, which governs the de facto autonomous area, confirmed that it had reached an agreement with the regime that would see Syrian troops deploy along the Syria-Turkey border.

In an op-ed published Sunday by Foreign Policy, SDF commander General Mazlum Abdi, also known as Mazlum Kobani, said: “We know that we would have to make painful compromises with Moscow and Assad. But if we have to choose between compromises and the genocide of our people, we will surely choose life for our people.”

Kurgen

Article URL : https://thedefensepost.com/2019/10/13/syria-government-russia-kobani-manbij-sdf/