MOSCOW – Russia said Tuesday that Syrian government forces had takencontrol of the city of Manbij, after Damascus deployed troops to thecountry’s north to contain a Turkish offensive.
“The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij andnearby settlements,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Monday that government troops hadentered Manbij, which is controlled by a military council linked to Syria’sKurds.
Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regimetroops deploy in several Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria’s north toprotect the region from Ankara’s assault.
Russia is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad and launched a militaryintervention in 2015 in support of his forces.
The defense ministry said Russian forces were continuing to patrol borderareas along the “line of contact” between Syrian and Turkish forces.
“Cooperation has been organized with the Turkish side,” it said.
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Moscow’s special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyevlink,said Tuesday that it would not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrianforces.
“This would simply be unacceptable…. And therefore we will not allow it,of course,” Lavrentyev, who was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, wasquoted as saying by Russian news agencies.
He said Turkish and Syrian officials were in contact to avoid any conflict.
“Negotiations are taking place in real time,” he said. -APP/AFP
