Syria
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters gather during an operation in Syria. File photo: AFP/Delil Souleiman
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday urged the people in northeast Syria (Rojava) to “heed the call” for general mobilization, as Turkish-backed groups launched a fresh offensive against the Kurdish forces in Aleppo province.
“We urge everyone to heed the call for public mobilization and to coordinate closely with the SDF and Internal Security Forces,” the SDF said in a statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), declared general mobilization across Rojava.
The SDF called on “the youth of the region, including Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians, and Circassians, to fulfill their historical role by joining the resistance fronts,” by enlisting in its ranks and its Kurdish backbones the People’s Protection Units (YPG), and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).
As a coalition of rebel forces led by the jihadist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) marched on Aleppo and sent regime soldiers fleeing, the SDF took control of strategic locations in eastern Aleppo and formed a corridor to the city from the Euphrates River, briefly capturing key sites such as Aleppo International Airport on Saturday.
The Kurdish-led force later tactically withdrew from many of the sites, while maintaining their hold over Aleppo’s Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh, both long held by the YPG - the SDF’s backbone.
Media affiliated with the Kurdish-led Rojava administration on Sunday reported fierce clashes between the SDF and Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in northern Aleppo province, near the Kurdish-held town of Tal Rifaat near Afrin and Shahba.
Later on Sunday, Turkish-backed militants published a video, claiming their fighters arrived at the gates of Tel Rifaat.
Turkey, which backs various Syrian rebel groups, has threatened in the past to carry out an offensive to remove Kurdish fighters from Tal Rifaat. It said it is closely following the situation and urged the warring parties not to cause “larger instabilities.”
Ankara also accused Kurdish forces in Tal Rifaat and nearby Manbij of “trying to take advantage of the current state of instability.”
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