Northern Syria -

for the first time since its inception in 2015, the so-called "Syrian Democratic Forces" - with a Kurdish majority - conducted joint military maneuvers with the Syrian regime forces in the Manbij area in the countryside of Aleppo (northern Syria), under the supervision of officers in the Russian forces, and under the threat of Turkey with a military operation targeting Kurdish forces in the north.

The maneuvers - which took place recently - included amphibious military exercises, during which the Syrian regime forces conducted a large-scale exercise on tanks crossing the river waters to reach the opposite bank, accompanied by Russian helicopters and artillery shelling by the "Syrian Democratic Forces".

The maneuvers also included targeting the Russian air defense system (Pantsir) a military drone that flew over the sky of the training area.

The Russian Rosvisna agency published a video of the maneuvers, and stated that they came within the framework of what it called "the Turkish aggression against northern Syria," calling on Turkey to take into account that "Syria will respond harshly if the military operation begins," as she put it.

Members of the so-called "Syrian Democratic Forces" (Reuters)

The regime ignores the Kurds

Although the official Syrian News Agency (SANA) published the news of the military maneuvers in the presence of the Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian regime forces, General Abdul Karim Ibrahim, and the commander of the Russian forces operating in Syria, General Alexander Chaiko;

The agency neglected to mention the participation of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" in the maneuvers.

The agency was satisfied with mentioning that one of the formations of the armed forces, "in cooperation with the Russian forces operating in Syria," implemented a tactical, operational project with live ammunition.

The Syrian regime and its media describe the "Syrian Democratic Forces" as illegal forces occupying areas of Syria with the support of the United States of America, and stealing oil and agricultural resources in northeastern Syria.

Recently, Russia has been active in coordinating between the regime and the "Syrian Democratic Forces" with the aim of deploying the forces of the former in areas likely to be attacked by Turkish forces, especially in the countryside of Aleppo;

Perhaps trying to block the road to Ankara.


fake russian messages

These rare maneuvers between the two sides were preceded by the Syrian regime sending reinforcements to the countryside of Raqqa and Aleppo, which are close to the contact lines with the Turkish forces and the Syrian opposition factions, according to pro-regime media and statements by SDF spokespersons.

According to the military analyst, Brigadier General Ahmed Rahal, the recent maneuvers between the regime and forces affiliated with the Kurds under Russian supervision should not be considered as aiming to raise the combative levels of the participants in them, or as offering new methods of fighting and military tactics.

Rahal said - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net - that these maneuvers are multiple Russian messages to all parties, in which Moscow tells Turkey that the regime forces are ready to enter the battle alongside the "Syrian Democratic Forces" if Ankara starts its operation, and messages to the Kurdish forces that Russia is a safe haven. If the United States abandons it.

Rahal describes the Russian messages as false, because Moscow has no interest in a clash with Turkey, "and at the moment the Russians realize the seriousness of the Turkish operation in Syria and that it is inevitably coming, they will order the regime forces to withdraw from the Kurdish areas," he said.

According to the military analyst, "the regime's forces, Kurdish forces, and Iranian militias are tools in Russia's hands to serve its interests, and in the end, politics is what governs the course of affairs on the ground, as happened in previous Turkish operations inside Syrian territory."

#Syria

Russian identifiers publish photos that they said are for military exercises, the first of their kind between the SDF and the Syrian regime army 🇸🇾 under the supervision of Russian trainers 🇷🇺 The exercises came as part of the plan to "confront the Turkish attack 🇹🇷 on Syrian territory"

🔽 pic.twitter.com/zGK6QUXAzG

— Zine El Abidine |

Zain al-Abidin (@DeirEzzore) July 30, 2022

Russian-Turkish meeting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 5 in Sochi, Russia, according to Interfax, with the two leaders discussing regional files, most notably Syria and recent developments.

Military and strategic expert Colonel Fayez Al-Asmar believes that Turkey does not care about the Syrian regime forces and the training it conducted with the Kurdish forces, pointing out that it is primarily concerned with the Russian position on its upcoming military operation.

Al-Asmar told Al-Jazeera Net that Erdogan's upcoming visit to Russia will clarify many things about the expected Turkish military operation and put points on the letters.

Al-Asmar believed that the "Syrian Democratic Forces" are aware that they are unable to confront Turkey militarily in Syria, "which leads them to turn to the Russians and the Syrian regime for support, at a time when both sides are exploiting them to strengthen their influence in their areas."