BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has recently moved in reinforcements to the northwestern region of the Al-Raqqa Governorate, following a string of attacks by the Turkish military and their allied militants.
According to a military source in the neighboring Aleppo Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army has moved in reinforcements for a possible confrontation with the Turkish military and their allied militants at the key town of ‘Ain ‘Issa.
The source said that the Syrian Army is working closely with their Russian advisers, as they await a decision by the Syrian Democratic Forces about the fate of ‘Ain ‘Issa.
He pointed out that the Syrian Democratic Forces have rejected the idea of handing over ‘Ain ‘Issa to the Syrian Arab Army; however, with an imminent offensive by the Turkish military and their allied militants, the source stressed that the SDF would rather make an agreement with the government than hand over the town to forces loyal to Ankara.
The Turkish-backed militants have already launched several attacks on the ‘Ain ‘Issa countryside in the past three weeks, but all their attempts to advance on the ground have been forestalled by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Turkey is seeking to expand into ‘Ain ‘Issa to take control of the strategic Aleppo-Qamishli Road that is located inside this strategic town located north of Al-Raqqa’s administrative capital.
The Turkish-backed militants already control the key town of Ras Al-‘Ain in the Al-Hasakah Governorate, so the capture of ‘Ain ‘Issa will allow them to expand their buffer zone along the northern border of the Arab Republic.
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