Military escalation | Ten fighters of SDF and Ankara-backed factions killed, as Ankara-backed factions try to advance on Ain Issa frontlines

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the killing of four SDF members and the injury of seven others, as a result of Turkish shelling and clashes with Ankara-backed factions on frontlines of Jahbal, Al-Mushirfa, Sayda and Ma’alaq after midnight, while six Turkish-backed fighters were killed in the same clashes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored this morning a new attack by Ankara-backed factions on frontlines of Ain Issa countryside, north of Raqqa. Fierce clashes took place between Ankara-backed factions and the SDF on frontlines of Sayda and Ma’alaq, in an attempt by the factions, backed by Turkish rocket fire, to reach the road of al-Hasaka – Aleppo international and cut it off, amid confirmed reports of casualties on both sides. It is worth nothing that SDF managed to repel the attack before dawn.

The town of Ain Issa, located in northern countryside of Raqqa, comes to the fore, in light of Turkish military escalation since the beginning of last November, in an attempt to cut off the Hasaka – Aleppo international road, coinciding with ongoing negotiations between the Russian side and the Syrian Democratic Forces on handing over the town to regime forces in order to prevent Turkish forces from advancing.

On the other hand, there were conflicting reports about the nature of the agreement, whether SDF’s withdrawal from the area will be tactical or actual. Observatory sources said that it is unlikely that SDF will simply withdraw, especially from Ain Issa, which is strategically very important to SDF.