Pro-Turkish armed groups have reinforced their presence on the outskirts of the city of Manbij in northern Syria as Ankara threatens a new offensive against Kurdish forces, sources said Wednesday.
Turkey announced in mid-December that it would launch a fresh military campaign against the Kurdish People's Protection Units, a militia in Syria that Ankara considers a terrorist group.
The United States has backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as part of an international coalition against the ISIL jihadist group. But a surprise announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump a week ago that he will pull American troops out of the country has left the Kurds exposed to attack.
Pro-Turkish factions and opposing fighters in the city of Manbij are "consolidating their positions and massing reinforcements on the demarcation line" separating the two sides, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor.
"Military operations haven't started – there are no clashes or skirmishes," he said.
Turkey has massed reinforcements at the border, and dispatched tanks and armored vehicles near Manbij, which hosts American troops and where Ankara says Kurdish forces also remain present.
Dozens of pro-Turkish fighters equipped with assault rifles were seen near the city of Jarablus in mud-splattered pick-up trucks on Tuesday, travelling to join sectors near the demarcation line, an AFP correspondent said. But the situation was calm, he added.
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters are pictured in the back of their trucks as they leave their barracks in the rebel-held border town of Jarabulus on December 25, 2018, as they prepare to move towards Manbij. /VCG Photo
Meanwhile, Turkey is ready to send a high-level delegation to visit Russia on Saturday to discuss Syria issues.
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik said on Wednesday the delegation includes Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan.
According to Celik, following Saturday's talks, a plan would be made to hold a meeting between Turkish and Russian presidents.
The spokesman also disclosed that a Turkish committee will pay a visit to Washington soon, adding that U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is scheduled to come to Turkey in early January.
Celik said Turkey will continue its close coordination with Iran and Russia in the upcoming days following U.S. announcement of troops' withdrawal.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a surprise decision to withdraw all his troops from Syria in the wake of a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Following Trump's move, Erdogan said on December 21 that Turkey had decided to postpone its cross-border operation into areas controlled by the Kurdish militia.
(Top image: This picture taken on December 26, 2018 shows a column of Turkish tanks and military vehicles being transported into the rebel-held town of al-Rai in northern Syria. /VCG Photo)