30/01/2021

Turkey continues shelling of Ayn Issa in North and East Syria despite ceasefire and Russian presence

AYN ISSA — Turkish forces and the Turkish-back Syrian National Army (SNA) continue their attacks on areas in North and East Syria. On Friday, the village of Maalk, northwest of Ayn Issa along the M4 highway, was shelled by rocket artillery and heavy weapons.

The shelling coincided with several reconnaissance flights, presumably Turkish, flew over the Sareen area south of the city of Kobane at the crossroads between Kobane, Ayn Issa, and Mabbug (Manbij).

Overnight on Friday, SNA fighters attempted to infiltrate villages along the Ayn Issa frontline but were repelled by the defending Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

At the end of December last year, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the deployment of additional Russian forces around Ayn Issa following negotiations with Turkish forces who have been routinely targeting in the region with artillery. However, the bolstered Russian presence seems to have down little to deter Turkish aggression.

Two weeks ago, in an interview with SuroyoFM, Deputy Co-Chair Syrian Democratic Council SDC), Gabriel Chamoun pointed out that Turkish and the SNA continue their attacks on the town of Ayn Issa in an attempt to capture more Syrian territory as Russia silently watches on.

The Russians are trying to pressure the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to hand over the town to regime forces, said Chamoun, noting that the SDC and SDF refuse to hand over the town to regime forces.