The situation continues to evolve in Syria, following the launch of a very large-scale Turkish military action in northern Syria, to push back the Kurdish YPG forces beyond a 30 km strip along the border. Thus, several testimonies, sometimes accompanied by videos, state summary executions of Kurdish activists, soldiers and civilians, captured by the paramilitary militias which accompany the regular forces of the Turkish army. Furthermore, it seems that the Turkish regime does not appreciate dissent, with the arrest of Internet users who had expressed their opposition to the intervention a little too openly underway in the country.
But it is probably the declarations of Kurdish general Mazloum Kobani Abdi, who commands the Syrian democratic forces led by Kurdish forces, which augur the most profound upheaval underway. Indeed, according to CNN news channel, the Kurdish general allegedly asked William Roebuck, the coalition representative who came to meet him, to withdraw the Western forces who "had abandoned them to be massacred", so that he could ask "another military power present in the region” to take control of the airspace above Syria. And added “either you stop these bombings, or you withdraw so that the Russians can do so”. A threat that takes on a lot of weight as the Pentagon has confirmed that it has withdrawn more than 1000 men from its special forces present in northern Syria alongside the Kurds.
This turnaround in the situation apparently took American diplomacy by surprise, which could only ask its interlocutor “not to make a decision in haste”. The fact remains that if indeed the Syrian regime and Russia were to take over the defense of the Kurdish forces, the consequences could be very significant, including the breakdown of Defense negotiations between Ankara and Moscow would only be one of the visible aspects.
It remains to be seen what responses will be given, both by Washington and by Moscow, to these declarations. The return of the American Congress on Monday could well lead to a radical change in position for D. Trump, which only he knows about. For his part, Vladimir Putin could see this as an opportunity to strengthen the Russian position in Syria and the Middle East, as well as in public opinion, particularly in Europe, at a critical moment in the negotiations to ease European sanctions against Russian economy. There is no doubt that the phones must be ringing a lot in the various chancelleries of all those involved in the Syrian crisis today...
PS: it won't be long, Syrian and Kurdish authorities reached an agreement, and the regular Syrian army is now deploying its troops to stop the Turkish offensive and retake the captured territories. However, the official position of Moscow, which actively supports the Syrian government, is not yet known.