Would Joint Military Observation Points deter Turkey from offensives

The strategic town on the M4 international road is witnessing a military build-up, following Turkish targeting of the town’s neighborhoods and other villages to the west, followed by a failed ground attack on November 23, after 18 mercenaries killed by the Syrian Democratic Forces, according to the latter's statement.

Russia turns blind eye to the shelling that claimed lives of 4 civilians' lives and injured 14 others, despite the deployment of the Syrian government forces and the Russian Military Police on the engagement lines in the town, according to the Sochi Agreement signed between Ankara and Moscow on the 22nd of October to monitor the ceasefire.

'Joint military points to monitor the ceasefire'

The SDF- affiliated Military Council of Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) announced on the 9th of December an agreement with the Russians to establish 3 joint military points.

A point is established 3 km to the east of the town and another the west, and the third within the northern neighborhoods of Ain Issa, and units of the Military Council and the Syrian Government Forces were deployed in these points under Russian supervision.

Russian helicopters flew along the contact lines for 5 days in a row, after the mutual shelling was stopped.

'Failed infiltrations and the resumption of artillery fire'

Last Monday, the SDF's fighters thwarted a ground attack by Turkish mercenaries, days after establishing the joint points on the village of Al-Maalik, 1 km northwest of the town of Ain Issa.

The attempt is the third in less than a week for occupying the village of Al-Maalak and taking control of the international road (M4), to block Ain Issa-Kobani Canton road.

Following the attacks, Turkish artillery targeted the outskirts of the northern town, the villages of Al-Maalik, Sidon, Al-Hoshan, Al-Khaldiyah and Ain Issa camp.

'Protests in front of the Russian base in Ain Issa'

Thousands of angry demonstrators flocked from the Euphrates region, the cities of Al-Tabqa, Al-Raqqa, and the city of Manbij, to protest in front of the largest Russian bases in the town, denouncing Russia's "complicity" with the Turkish attacks.

'Russia is not playing an adequate role'

The Commander of the Military Council, Riyadh Al-Khalaf, indicated that Turkey is exploiting the vacuum of serious international positions towards what Turkey is committing in Syria, and that they are determined to protect their areas and that is a "legitimate right."

Al-Khalaf explained that the government of the Russian Federation is not playing a sufficient role, as it is a guarantor of the ceasefire process in the contact areas between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Turkish occupation army.

 (A)

ANHA