Kurdish sources confirmed the presence of seven US military bases and airports in the Arab-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) areas, eastern Syria, like reported by aawsat.com.
Commander of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) Sipan Hamo told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US army established military bases, airports and centers in seven locations controlled by the SDF and the YPG, east the Euphrates River, mainly in Kubani, where a large and developed airport was already built.
The list also involves two airports in Hasaka, an airport in Kamishli, two others in al-Malikiya and one in Tel Abiyad at the Turkish border, in addition to a military contingent in Manbij, in the countryside of Aleppo.
At those bases, there are around 1300 fighters from the US-led Coalition deployed to combat ISIS.
Separately, Hamo said that Turkey launched a military operation in Afrin in the countryside of Aleppo that would negatively affect the battle to liberate Raqqa from ISIS.
He spoke about “complicity” planned under the table between the Syrian regime, Russia and Turkey.
“Russia and Syrian regime forces, which claim protecting the border and sovereignty of the country, were allowing Turkey to infiltrate, enter and attack the countryside of Aleppo without making any clear positions on what is happening,” Hamo said.
Meanwhile, the fifth round of the Astana talks on Syria kicked off Tuesday in the Kazakh capital.
Russian Presidential Special Representative for Syrian Settlement Alexander Lavrentyev said on Tuesday that Russia might deploy its police to monitor the borders of the planned de-escalation zones in Syria within two to three weeks after finalizing an agreement with Turkey and Iran.
Russia had established a new base at the Khirbat Ras al Wa’r, in eastern Damascus, in addition to Moscow’s two other bases in Tartus and Hmeimim.
Also on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron telephoned the head of the High Negotiations Committee that represents the Syrian opposition in the international political process, Riyad Hijab, who had warned from “the threats caused by Iran and its linked militias’ escalatory measures and their plans to push towards division in Syria.”
