"In light of Turkish declarations of a military operation to create a "security strip" at a depth of 30km in northern Syria to allow the return of 1 million Syrian refugees from Turkey to Syria, significant Russian reinforcements have arrived at the Qamishli airport," the Israeli regime's Alma Research & Education Center wrote on its Twitter account.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey is set to clear two areas of northern Syria, near the Turkish border, of terrorist elements and the Turkish operation will continue gradually in other parts of Syria.
“We are entering a new phase of our decision to establish a safe zone 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) deep south (of the Turkish-Syrian border). We are clearing Tel Rifat and Manbij of terrorists,” he told a group meeting of his Justice and Development (AK) Party in the capital Ankara.
Erdogan has said as the US and Russia failed to live up to their commitments to provide such a safe zone in the border region, Turkey is ready to mount an operation to protect the nation and locals in northern Syria from the YPG/PKK terrorist threat.
News sources on Saturday also reported that Russia has dispatched attack helicopters and fighter jets to its base in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah upon a request from the Damascus government.
The decision comes only days after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s determination to support Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network, citing informed sources, reported that Russia sent the reinforcement to its airbase near the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli as part of an ongoing military buildup.
“The presence of Russian forces in Syria is in full compliance with the UN Charter and principles. They perform duties outlined in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254,” Lavrov told Russia’s RT television news network in an interview on Thursday.
The Russia foreign minister added that the crisis in Syria can only be resolved through respect for the Arab nation’s sovereignty and regional safety. “We will support the Syrian leadership in its efforts to restore the territorial integrity of the Arab republic,” Lavrov stressed.
Turkey has deployed forces in Syria in violation of the Arab country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ankara-backed militants were deployed to northeastern Syria in October 2019 after Turkish military forces launched a long-threatened cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to push Kurdish militants from the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) away from border areas.
Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials have said Damascus will respond through all legitimate means available to the ongoing ground offensive by Turkish forces.
MNA/