Turkish Army Forwards More Forces, Equipment to Border with Syria

TEHRAN (defapress)- The Turkish Army on Wednesday sent another convoy of soldiers and military hardware to the border with Syria in what has claimed to be a preparation for a major assault on the Kurdish militias on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River.

News ID: 74714

Date: 02 January 2019 - 14:42

The army dispatched a long convoy, including several cannons, tanks and personnel-carrier and armored vehicles to Shanli Urfah region at Turkey's border with Northern Syria.

The army sent a new convoy of 20 military vehicles to Khaliliyah region and another one to Mardin Sharnaq region at border with Syria.

In the meantime, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sent a long military convoy to the town of Tal Abyadh in Northern Raqqa to reinvigorate its positions.

Field sources pointed to the SDF's preparation to counter the Turkish troops on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River, and said that the SDF has turned residential units in the village of al-Za'azou'a in Northern Raqqa into military positions and bases.

The sources further said that a senior Turkish military delegation, including the country's defense minister, ground force commander and air force commander paid a visit to Kilis region at borer with Syria.

Field sources reported on Saturday that the Syrian Army kept forces on high alert to respond to any possible military assault by the Turkish troops and allied militants on the town of Manbij in Northeastern Aleppo.

The sources said that the Damascus forces, deployed in Manbji, were on alert to counter any attack by the Turkish soldiers and Ankara-backed militants.

The sources went on to say that the Army Command ordered Presidential Guard Forces and other Damascus soldiers to give a crushing response to any military operation by the Ankara forces in Manbij region.

They further said that the Ankara forces started preparing for a military operation in Manbij after the Syrian Army's arrival in the region.

The sources quoted Ziad Hajji Obeid, Commander of the militants of Turkey-backed National Army, as saying that a sum of 15,000 militants from his group prepared to enter Manbij, adding that almost 25,000 gunmen of the Ankara-backed Free Army were preparing to enter the towns of Tal Abyadh and Ra'as al-Ein.

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