BEIRUT (Reuters) – Alarmed by a US decision to leave Syria, Kurds leaders who run much of the north are urging Russia and its ally Damascus to send forces to shield the border from the threat of a Turkish offensive against the Kurds. The territory at stake spans about a quarter of Syria, most of it east of the Euphrates River, controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an umbrella group dominated by the Kurdish YPG. “Our contacts with Russia, and the regime, are to look for clear mechanisms to protect the northern border,” said Xelil, an architect of autonomy plans in northern Syria. But in coordination with the council, the government and Russia sent forces near the town on Tuesday, he said. Top Syrian Kurdish politician Ilham Ahmed, who held talks with Damascus earlier this year, said contacts with the state had never stopped.

Source: Egypt Independent December 28, 2018 09:45 UTC