Turkish-Backed Militates Defected To SDF, Government Forces In Northeast Syria: Monitoring Group
A number of Turkish-backed militants in northeast Syria have defected to the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) and government forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on August 12.
According to the London-based monitoring group, three officers of the Styrian Free Military Police, a law enforcement body backed by Turkey, escaped from the Turkish-occupied town of Ras al-Ain in northern al-Hasakah. The officers surrendered to the SDF.
The SOHR also revealed that up to fifteen militants of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army escaped from Ras al-Ain over the last week. The militants headed to areas held by Syrian government forces in northern al-Hasakah.
“It is possible that they were working for the Syrian regime intelligence in the ranks of factions loyal to Ankara,” the group said in its report.
A state of lawlessness is prevailing over Turkish-occupied areas in northeast Syria. In the last few months, a series of bombings and several rounds of infighting claimed the lives of dozens of people, including militants, there.
The Turkish military and its proxies have been taking no measures to secure these areas. Ankara is turning a blind eye to the situation there. Therefore, fighters that do not support the current state of the affairs in the region switch their side defecting from Turkish-backed forces.
Source: Turkish-Backed Militates Defected To SDF, Government Forces In Northeast Syria: Monitoring Group