عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Russia Presses SDF to Merge with Syrian Regime Forces

Security forces block an entrance to the village of Humayra, where US coalition forces conducted an overnight airborne operation, in the Ghandoura district in the north of Syria's Aleppo province on June 16, 2022. (AFP)
Security forces block an entrance to the village of Humayra, where US coalition forces conducted an overnight airborne operation, in the Ghandoura district in the north of Syria's Aleppo province on June 16, 2022. (AFP)
TT
TT

Russia Presses SDF to Merge with Syrian Regime Forces

Security forces block an entrance to the village of Humayra, where US coalition forces conducted an overnight airborne operation, in the Ghandoura district in the north of Syria's Aleppo province on June 16, 2022. (AFP)
Security forces block an entrance to the village of Humayra, where US coalition forces conducted an overnight airborne operation, in the Ghandoura district in the north of Syria's Aleppo province on June 16, 2022. (AFP)

Russia has been pressuring the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to merge with the Syrian regime government forces.

The revelation was made as more military reinforcements continued to be deployed to northern Syria amid Turkey’s threat to carry out a new offensive against the Kurdish SDF.

Commander of the SDF Mazloum Abdi had met with commander of the Russian forces in Syria Alexander Chaiko on June 10 for talks on military affairs, border security and Russia’s suggestion to merge the SDF with the regime forces.

Kurdish sources said Abdi reminded Chaiko that the government forces are deployed in regions held by the SDF under an agreement reached with the Kurdish force and Moscow.

He stressed that the number of forces will remain the same and that they played the role of a buffer between the Turkish army and pro-Ankara Syrian factions.

SDF expressed its readiness to coordinate with and fight alongside the government forces against any Turkish incursion, but there is no need to send additional troops, added Abdi, according to the sources.

He also underscored the need for Syria to use its air defenses against Turkish jets.

Moreover, Abdi urged Russia to bolster its forces in the cities of Manbij and Ain al-Arab (Kobani) in eastern Aleppo.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened to target these areas should his forces carry out a new offensive in Syria.

Russian forces are already deployed in small numbers in these areas.

Abdi said that Russia, as a guarantor of the de-escalation agreements, should prevent any side from exploiting the Turkish threats to make gains on the ground – a reference to government efforts to consolidate its grip over all Syrian territories.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Mogadishu Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 10 at Army Recruitment Drive

At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after a suicide bomber targeted a queue of young recruits registering at the Damanyo military base in the Mogadishu. (AFP file)
At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after a suicide bomber targeted a queue of young recruits registering at the Damanyo military base in the Mogadishu. (AFP file)
TT
TT

Mogadishu Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 10 at Army Recruitment Drive

At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after a suicide bomber targeted a queue of young recruits registering at the Damanyo military base in the Mogadishu. (AFP file)
At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after a suicide bomber targeted a queue of young recruits registering at the Damanyo military base in the Mogadishu. (AFP file)

At least 10 people were killed on Sunday after a suicide bomber targeted a queue of young recruits registering at the Damanyo military base in the Somali capital Mogadishu, witnesses told Reuters.

Teenagers were lining up at the base's gate when the attacker detonated their explosives, they said.

A military captain who gave his name as Suleiman described the attack as he had seen it unfold.

"I was on the other side of the road. A speeding tuk-tuk stopped, a man alighted, ran into the queue, and then blew himself up. I saw 10 people dead, including recruits and passers-by. The death toll may rise," he said.

Dozens of abandoned shoes and the remains of the suicide bomber were visible at the scene.

Another witness, Abdisalan Mohamed, said he had seen "hundreds of teenagers at the gate as we passed by in a bus".

"Abruptly, a deafening blast occurred, and the area was covered by dense smoke. We could not see the details of casualties," he said.

Medical staff at the military hospital told Reuters they had received 30 injured people from the blast and that six of them had died immediately.

Government forces quickly cordoned off the entire area.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack and government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The attack echoed a similar incident in 2023 when a suicide bomber killed 25 soldiers at the Jale Siyad base, located opposite the Damanyo facility.

Sunday's attack followed the assassination on Saturday of Colonel Abdirahmaan Hujaale, commander of battalion 26, in the Hiiran region, amid local reports of al-Shabaab militant infiltration into government and security forces.

OSZAR »