Syrian National Army factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo have raised their full readiness in preparation for a “nearby ground offensive,” a commander told al-Souria Net.
Turkey is likely to begin a ground offensive against YPG areas of influence, complementing the air operation it began two days ago, dubbed “Claw Sword.”
The leader, who asked not to be named, said on Monday: “At the moment, there is a cut off of vacations and raising maximum readiness.”
“The current and immediate readiness includes all corps. There is a likelihood of an attack soon.”
“Claw-Sword” Turkish Air Operation in Syria: Objectives and Results
Hours earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had hinted at his country’s intention to launch a ground offensive against YPG deployment sites along the border.
He told reporters as he was returning from Qatar: “It is out of the question that (the sword claw) will be limited to the air operation, and we will make the decision and step on the size of the ground forces that should join the operation.”
“We have not had any conversations with Mr. Biden or Mr. Putin regarding this operation,” he said.
“We have already established diplomatic relations with the countries that have a presence here, and we have taken our steps and are taking them accordingly.”
In response to the question about the upcoming ground operation, whether it will target the Ain al-Arab area because of its relationship to the recent bombing on Istiklal Street in Istanbul, he said: “That area has always been among the targets, and in this context, we neutralized 12 targets in the air operation against terrorists in Ain al-Arab.” He pointed out that “the Ain al-Arab area is subject to an agreement in Sochi with the Russians in 2019, as they had the responsibility to cleanse the area of terrorists, but they could not do it themselves in any way.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
