Turkish sources told Al-Jazeera on Thursday that Russia offered it the withdrawal of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" with their weapons from Ayn al-Arab and Manbij, during consultations in Istanbul between the Turkish and Russian sides, regarding the Turkish operation in northern Syria.
On November 20, Turkey launched Operation "Claw-Sword" against the Kurdish People's Protection Units in northern and northeastern Syria, after it was accused of masterminding the bombing that took place on Istiklal Street in Istanbul, killing 6 people, which the Kurdish militants denied.
Turkish sources said that the Russian offer proposes to maintain the "Asayish" forces, the Kurdish border guards, after integrating them into the security establishment of the Syrian regime.
She added that the Russian delegation informed her that the "Syrian Democratic Forces" agreed to the proposal, provided that there was no Turkish invasion.
According to Turkish sources, Ankara is studying the proposals presented by the Russian delegation, and we are still in the stage of discussion about them.
Russian-Turkish consultations
In a related context, Istanbul is witnessing Thursday and Friday political consultations between the Turkish and Russian sides regarding the Turkish operation in northern Syria.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated, in a statement, that the Russian delegation participating in the consultations will be headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, while the Turkish delegation will be headed by Sadat Onal, Deputy Foreign Minister.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, during his participation in the "Primakov Readings" forum in Moscow, "We will act firmly to ensure that any attacks on Syria's territorial integrity are prevented."
Lavrov added that Russia is interested in the process of resuming dialogue on the basis of the Adana Agreement between Turkey and Syria, considering that the basic requirements for this process have now matured in order to solve specific issues to ensure security on the borders, taking into account the legitimate security concerns of Turkey, which are recognized by the Syrian regime, according to His saying.
The most prominent provisions of the Adana Agreement, signed between Syria and Turkey in 1998, give Turkey the right to "pursue terrorists" inside Syria to a depth of 5 kilometers, and to "take the necessary security measures if its national security is endangered."
Another clause stipulated Syria's full cooperation with Turkey in "fighting terrorism" across the border, and ending any form of Syria's support for the terrorist-classified Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The bombing continues
On the ground, the Turkish army's artillery continued to bomb a number of sites of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces near Tal Tamr in the countryside of Hasakah, while the United States announced that it did not want Turkey to continue its attacks.
Local sources told Al-Jazeera that a drone targeted other sites in the vicinity of Ain Issa, north of Raqqa.
This comes at a time when what is known as the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria of the Syrian Democratic Forces said that it will organize a campaign on social media, with the aim of imposing a no-fly zone in its areas to stop the Turkish attacks, as it put it.
You understand Finnish
Politically, Finnish Defense Minister Ante Kaikkonen confirmed that his country understands Turkey's security concerns and is determined to combat terrorism.
Kaikkonen said in press statements that his meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, in the capital, Ankara, was fruitful and constructive.
He added that he discussed with Akar the file of Finland and Sweden's membership in NATO, and the tripartite memorandum of understanding that was concluded in this regard on the sidelines of the last NATO leaders' summit last June in the Spanish capital, Madrid.
On the other hand, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar expressed to his Finnish counterpart his country's annoyance and concern over the continued activities of the PKK and the "terrorist" People's Protection Units in Finland.
During a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart, Akar called for the need to extradite what he described as wanted terrorists and to stop the activities of the parties linked to terrorism.
American position
Meanwhile, White House National Security Council Communications Coordinator John Kirby said, "We don't want to see military operations taking place in northwest Syria that will put civilians at greater risk than they already are and threaten our soldiers and personnel in Syria as well as our mission to combat ISIS."
Kirby added that the United States recognizes that Turkey has the right to defend itself, especially against terrorism.
"We are aware of the danger to which the Turkish people are exposed, but we do not believe that the idea of military operations in northwestern Syria is the best way to confront that danger," he added.
On the other hand, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin discussed, during a phone call, bilateral relations and the regional situation with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, where he confirmed that operations in Syria and Iraq target the PKK and its military arms, which pose a threat to Turkish national security. According to an official Turkish statement.
Axios quoted a US source as saying that one of the air strikes carried out by Turkey last week hit a target less than half a kilometer from a site where US forces are stationed.
The site also quoted two other American sources as saying that CIA Director William Burns told his Turkish counterpart that the strike endangered American forces, and urged him not to launch a ground invasion.
Burns also informed his Turkish counterpart of his opposition to air strikes against the Kurds in northern Syria, warning him that they could endanger American soldiers there.