The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia called on the government of President Bashar al-Assad on Friday to take control of Manbij to protect the town from the threat of Turkish attacks.

BEIRUT: The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia called on the government of President Bashar al-Assad on Friday to take control of Manbij to protect the town from the threat of Turkish attacks.

The YPG, which Turkey regards as a terrorist group and has vowed to crush, said its fighters had previously withdrawn from Manbij to fight Islamic State militants in eastern Syria.

"So we invite the Syrian government which we belong to... to send its armed forces to take over these positions and protect Manbij in the face of Turkish threats," the YPG statement said. </s> The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia called on the government of President Bashar al-Assad on Friday to take control of Manbij to protect the town from the threat of Turkish attacks.

BEIRUT: The Syrian army said it had deployed forces to Manbij in northwest Syria on Friday, after the Kurdish YPG militia urged Damascus to protect the town from the threat of Turkish attacks.

A resident said the forces had not entered the town, where U.S. troops operate and have a military base. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, said the government forces were stationed out the outskirts, between the town and territory under Turkish influence.

U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw troops from Syria has alarmed the Kurdish-led fighters who have fought Islamic State alongside them for years.

Kurdish leaders are scrambling for a strategy to protect their region stretching across the north and east, where the presence of some 2,000 U.S. troops has so far deterred an incursion by Turkey, which deems the YPG a threat to its own territory and has vowed to crush it.

A deployment of government forces, backed by Russia, is likely to have a similar effect.

With the YPG at its forefront, the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance (SDF) seized Manbij in 2016 from Islamic State, a milestone in the U.S.-backed battle against the jihadists.

The town is held by the Manbij Military Council, fighters allied to the SDF, and abuts territory held by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels who have been mobilising for an assault.

U.S. military support for the Kurdish fighters has infuriated Turkey, a fellow member of the NATO alliance, which sees the YPG as an extension of the PKK movement that has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey for decades.

A Turkish-backed rebel official said the plan to attack SDF territory remained in force. "There is no Syrian soldier inside Manbij town from the regime's forces," said Major Youssef Hamoud, spokesman for the National Army rebel force.

He said his forces were waiting for Washington and Ankara to agree on how U.S. forces would leave Manbij.

The Syrian military statement said troops had raised the national flag in Manbij on Friday and would guarantee security "for all Syrian citizens and others present."

The resident inside the town said nothing had changed and he had not seen any such flags.

The YPG says its fighters previously withdrew from Manbij to fight Islamic State jihadists in eastern Syria.

"So we invite the Syrian government, to which we belong, ... to send its armed forces to take over these positions and protect Manbij in the face of Turkish threats," it said on Friday. </s> The Syrian army entered Manbij for the first time in six years on Friday, after the Kurdish YPG milita urged the government to protect the city from the threat of Turkish attacks.

A Syrian army spokesman said in a televised statement that the national flag was raised in Manbij, a key northern city about 19 miles from the Turkish border.

The spokesman said the government would guarantee security 'for all Syrian citizens and others present in the area'.

The Kurds were left exposed last week when their key ally, the U.S, suddenly pledged to pull out its own troops.

The People's Protection Units (YPG) then asked for the Assad regime's help to face a threatened Turkish offensive.

The YPG, the main Kurdish militia in Syria, asked government forces to deploy in Manbij, an area it withdrew from earlier this year to fight Islamic State jihadists in eastern Syria.

'We invite the Syrian government forces... to assert control over the areas our forces have withdrawn from, in particularly Manbij, and to protect these areas against a Turkish invasion,' the statement said.

It was unclear whether the government forces had spread out in the town, where U.S. forces operate and have a military base.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the troops had deployed only along the edges of Manbij, standing between the town and Turkey's rebel allies.

With the YPG at its forefront, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) seized Manbij in 2016 from Islamic State, a milestone in the U.S.-backed battle against the jihadists.

The Manbij Military Council, fighters allied to the SDF, hold the town in northern Syria, which lies on a front with Turkey-backed rebels.

President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to pull out some 2,000 U.S. troops, whose presence has deterred Turkey, has alarmed the SDF.

Turkey deems the Kurdish fighters a threat and has vowed to crush them.

Pro-Assad forces and Kurdish-led forces have fought each other elsewhere in Syria and the government opposes the Kurds' demands for autonomy. However, they have a common enemy and a mutual interest in blocking Turkish advances.

The announcement that government troops had entered Manbij was quickly welcomed by the Kremlin, whose spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a 'positive step' that could help stabilize the situation. </s> BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on developments related to Syria (all times local):

A senior Syrian Kurdish official says Syrian government troops have arrived at the front lines of the flash-point town of Manbij but have not taken over the city, and U.S. troops based outside it have not withdrawn.

Ilham Ahmed said an agreement was being worked out with the Russians and the Syrian government that in case of a full U.S. withdrawal, government troops would take over.

The Syrian government has announced it has seized control of the town.

"The aim is to ward off a Turkish offensive," Ahmed said. "If the Turks' excuse is the (Kurdish militia), so they leave their posts to the government."

Ahmed said the Kurdish militiaremain inside the city.

The Kremlin has welcomed the Syrian military's entry into the flash-point Kurdish-held town where Turkey has threatened an offensive.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday described the development as a "positive step" that could help "stabilize the situation."

The Syrian army entered the town of Manbij on Friday after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the government to seize control of it to prevent an attack from Turkey. The Syrian military said it was responding to calls from the town's residents and promised safety for all living there.

The Syrian entry into Manbij comes a day before Moscow is to host top Turkish officials to discuss the crisis in Syria after the United States announced it will withdraw its troops from the country.

The main Syrian Kurdish militia has invited government troops to take control of the flashpoint northern town of Manbij to prevent a Turkish attack.

The People's Protection Units, or YPG, made the appeal Friday in a tweet. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is reporting that Syrian government forces have been massing on the edges of Manbij, a front line between Kurdish-led forces and Turkey-backed fighters to the west.

It is not yet clear whether U.S. troops, which had patrolled the area, remain in place or have withdrawn. There was no immediate response from the U.S-led coalition.

Turkey had threatened a military operation against Manbij to remove the Kurdish-led forces there. Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist group.

The threats triggered the U.S. announcement of withdrawing troops from Syria. </s> BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army said it entered Manbij on Friday for the first time in years, after the Kurdish YPG milita urged Damascus to protect the town from the threat of Turkish attacks.

It was unclear whether the government forces had spread out in the town, where U.S. forces operate and have a military base.

With the YPG at its forefront, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) seized Manbij in 2016 from Islamic State, a milestone in the U.S.-backed battle against the jihadists.

The Manbij Military Council, fighters allied to the SDF, hold the town in northern Syria, which lies on a front with Turkey-backed rebels. Ankara deems the Kurdish YPG fighters a threat and has vowed to crush them.

The Syrian army said in its statement on Friday that its troops had raised the national flag in Manbij and would guarantee security “for all Syrian citizens and others present in the area”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the troops had deployed only along the edges of Manbij, standing between the town and Turkey’s rebel allies.

President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to pull out some 2,000 U.S. troops, whose presence has deterred Turkey, has alarmed the SDF, which controls much of northern and eastern Syria.

The YPG says its fighters previously withdrew from Manbij to fight Islamic State jihadists in eastern Syria.

“So we invite the Syrian government which we belong to...to send its armed forces to take over these positions and protect Manbij in the face of Turkish threats,” it said on Friday. </s> If you’re able, and if you like our content and approach, please support the project. Our work wouldn’t be possible without your help: PayPal: southfront@list.ru or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront

The Syrian army, backed up by the Russian Aerospace Forces, liberated the ancient city of Palmyra, including the Palmyra Airport from ISIS on March 2. Syrian army servicemen have been examining the historic part of Palmyra with the aim of demining the city.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) primarily consisting of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) will hand over wide areas west of the northern Syrian town of Manbij to the Syrian army, according to a statement released by the so-called Manbij Miltiary Council. The SDF wants to use Syrian army troops as a buffer against Turkish-backed militant groups in northern Syria and refers that this decision is made after talks with “Russia”, aiming to use the Russian and Syrian military and diplomatic capabilities to defend itself from Turkey.

Just in August 2016, Talal Silo, a spokesman for the SDF, argued that the US is the only SDF partner and the group was not going coordinate anti-ISIS efforts or even negotiate with any other side without a signal from the Americans. It seems the SDF/YPG dramatically changed its attitude in March 2017 after it had became clear that photos of few US Special Forces troops were not enough to prevent Turkey from aiming to seize Manbij and Tell Rifat.

Turkey sees the YPG as just a branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), with which Turkey has been at war almost continuously since 1984. In turn, the PKK seeks to establish an independent Kurdish state in southern Turkey. There are still no official reports which areas the Syrian army will control in the Manbij countryside. However, there are two options:
• The Syrian army enters villages west of Manbij. In this case, Turkey-led forces will be able to attack Manbij only from the direction of Jarabulus if they want to avoid confrontation with the Russian-Syrian-Iranian alliance.
• Or the Syrian army enters villages west and north of Manbi, preventing possible Turkish military operations in both directions.

In any case, one problem will remain. Ankara-led forces will still be able to attack the YPG/SDF in Tell Rifat. Last months, there were some Russian-mediated negotiations between the government and the YPG in the area, but YPG sources were fast to deny that any agreement had been reached.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army’s Tiger Forces have liberated Alisah, Um Al-Amad, Barlin, Abu Tawil, Rahmaniya, Qaziqli and some nearby points from ISIS in the province.

Syrian War Report – March 2, 2017: Syrian Army Is On Verge Of Liberation Of Palmyra </s> Russian military police have started to patrol the area around the city of Manbij in Syria's Aleppo governorate. The move follows Syrian government troops entering the area and is aimed at preventing hostilities.The first patrol was performed by a Russian MP detachment on Tuesday. Footage from the scene shows the military policemen, in full combat gear, being briefed before the mission and then boarding their vehicles.The video shows the column of several Tigr mobility vehicles and armored trucks driving through the area with their lights flashing."Today, we've begun to patrol the security zone in the area of the settlement of Manbij and its vicinity. The task is to ensure security in the area of responsibility, to control the situation and movements of armed units," MP spokesman Yusup Mamatov told reporters.The deployment follows recent changes in the country, prompted by the abrupt US decision to withdraw from Syria that was announced by President Donald Trump in December. The US military has been occupying vast areas in the northeast, supporting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia and its backbone, the People's Protection Units (YPG).After the US announcement,. Turkey regards Syrian Kurdish-led militias as "terrorists," believing the YPG to be an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker Party (PKK). The latter has been waging an insurgency in Turkey's southeast since 1980s.Late in December, leaders of Kurdish militias controlling the city of Manbij, which lies close to border with Turkey, struck a deal with Damascus, returning control of the area to the government and letting the Syrian troops move in. </s> Even as regional forces race to position themselves for the imminent withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, U.S. military officials caution nothing on the ground has changed yet.

The U.S. on Friday dismissed claims Syrian forces were taking control of the northeastern city of Manbij, a key flashpoint between U.S.-backed Kurdish militias and Turkey, at the request of the Syrian Kurds.

In a statement, the Syrian army said its troops were taking up key positions, adding it "guarantees full security for all Syrian citizens and others present."

But the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State terror group responded on Twitter, saying it "has seen no indication that these claims are true."

"We call on everyone to respect the integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens," the coalition added.

US troops still in Syria 

 

 A U.S. defense official also told VOA dozens of U.S. forces that had been based just outside Manbij had not moved.

"We still have troops there," the official said, cautioning the U.S. remains focused on the safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.

Fearing a Turkish invasion, Kurdish forces have been reaching out to Syria and Russia, going as far as to invite Syrian government forces to take over the area via Twitter.

Yet despite extending the invitation, Syrian Kurdish officials confirmed U.S. troops had yet to leave Manbij, and that Syrian forces had massed only in some areas on the outskirts of the city.

"The situation is stable for now," Badran Chiya, a Syrian Kurdish adviser, told VOA's Kurdish service Friday. "The daily life of the people continues normally. There is no tension."

Manbij, located along the Syrian border with Turkey, has been a flashpoint between the YPG, the main Syrian Kurdish militia and a key component of the U.S.-backed force fighting IS, and Turkey. Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization with links to Kurds in Turkey.

In June, the United States brokered a deal with Turkey that called for the YPG to withdraw from Manbij, which would be protected by joint U.S.-Turkish patrols. But Turkey has accused the U.S. and the Kurds of failing to meet their commitments, and has been threatening to clear the YPG from the area itself.

No plans to move on Manbij 

 

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that, at least for now, his forces had no plans to move on Manbij itself. 

 

 "We are still supporting the integrity of Syrian soil. These areas belong to Syria," Erdogan told reporters following Friday prayers in Istanbul. "Once the terrorist organizations leave the area, we will have nothing left to do there."

But he said Turkish forces were still prepared to move into Syria, if necessary.

"It's not just about Manbij. We are aiming to wipe out all terrorist organizations in the region. Our main target is that the YPG takes the necessary lesson here," Erdogan added.

Despite Erdogan's comments, Turkish-backed Syrian rebels said Friday that they were continuing to advance on Manbij with Turkish forces and fight if needed "to start military operations to liberate" the city.

Russia, which has been seeking to broker an agreement on Manbij between Syria and the Kurdish militias that have been holding the city, welcomed the developments.

WATCH: US Withdrawal From Syria Prompts Calls for Arabs to Embrace Damascus

Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov called the presence of Syrian forces in the city a "positive step."

Still, Moscow is also asking for more information from the U.S. and President Donald Trump regarding how and when U.S. forces will be withdrawn from Syria.

Following a meeting Friday in Moscow with Jordan's foreign minister, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that Russia wants "concrete explanations" from the U.S.

"It appears that Washington wants to shift the responsibility," Lavrov said.

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton is expected to travel to Turkey later next week, announcing the trip on Twitter:

Friday's flurry of activity came as key regional players prepared for the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, a move announced just last week by Trump.

"Everybody is negotiating; the Russians are in the middle of it and clearly the Americans are, too," Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East department at the University of Oklahoma, told VOA.

"The Syrian army doesn't want to get into a clash with Turkey. That would be a losing proposition. Neither does the YPG or anyone else," Landis added.

The U.S. has about 2,000 troops in Syria to fight the Islamic State terror group.

During a visit with U.S. troops in Iraq on Wednesday, Trump defended his decision to pull them out, declaring IS's self-declared caliphate defeated. 

 

 "I think a lot of people are going to come around to my way of thinking," he said. "Our presence in Syria was not open-ended and it was never intended to be permanent." 

 

 VOA's Kurdish service and Ed Yeranian contributed to this report. </s> Russian military police have started to patrol the area around the city of Manbij in Syria’s Aleppo governorate. The move follows Syrian government troops entering the area and is aimed at preventing hostilities.

The first patrol was performed by a Russian MP detachment on Tuesday. Footage from the scene shows the military policemen, in full combat gear, being briefed before the mission and then boarding their vehicles.

The video shows the column of several Tigr mobility vehicles and armored trucks driving through the area with their lights flashing. Locals flock to the road to greet the Russian servicemen. Several detachments of government troops can be seen as well as Syria’s national flags.

READ MORE: UK admits Assad to stay ‘around for a while’ – and it’s all because of Russia again

“Today, we’ve begun to patrol the security zone in the area of the settlement of Manbij and its vicinity. The task is to ensure security in the area of responsibility, to control the situation and movements of armed units,” MP spokesman Yusup Mamatov told reporters.

The deployment follows recent changes in the country, prompted by the abrupt US decision to withdraw from Syria that was announced by President Donald Trump in December. The US military has been occupying vast areas in the northeast, supporting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia and its backbone, the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

After the US announcement, the Kurds faced a growing threat of a Turkish invasion which has been promised repeatedly by Ankara. Turkey regards Syrian Kurdish-led militias as “terrorists,” believing the YPG to be an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker Party (PKK). The latter has been waging an insurgency in Turkey’s southeast since 1980s.

READ MORE: US troop pullout from Syria conditional on Turkey's security guarantees for Kurds - Bolton

Late in December, leaders of Kurdish militias controlling the city of Manbij, which lies close to border with Turkey, struck a deal with Damascus, returning control of the area to the government and letting the Syrian troops move in. Last week, the YPG units began to withdraw from Manbij, heading east across the Euphrates river.

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The Kurdish YPG calls on Syrian government troops to protect Manbij against what it calls a "Turkish invasion".