On the possibility of Turkish forces advancing into Manbij and their massive deployment on the bordering province, the source confirmed that “Russia informed President Erdogan that it will not accept any crossing into the province, and that it will be up to the Syrian army to move in if the US withdraws its troops from the occupied area”.
It is clear that Erdogan, while gathering his own forces and his Syrian allies (Euphrates ShieldSultan Murad, Noureddine Zinki, Jaish al-Islam et al.), is keeping his options open. If the US fails to withdraw, Turkey will move into Manbij. Otherwise, the Turkish President seems in harmony with the Russian decision, unwilling to spoil the strong bond and strategic relationship he has constructed with both Iran and Russia in the last year. The Turkish President had agreed with Russia to wait a few months before acting against the Kurds. He made no objection to a Syrian army move into al-Hasaka, provided the Kurds be disarmed.
