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The Damascus government and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) have reached an agreement that will allow the Syrian Army (SAA) to deploy its units inside the Afrin area, the Lebanese al-Mayadin TV reported on February 15. The report said that the agreement had been reached after a long negotiation between the two sides.

Syria’s Deputy-Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said during a press conference on February 14 that the SAA will defend Afrin. An anonymous Syrian official told al-Mayadeen on February 15 that Mekdad’s statement will be fulfilled soon.

Sîpan Hemo, YPG’s General Commander, revealed during an interview on February 12 that “there is a great deal of coordination between YPG fighters and the SAA” and said that the YPG will welcome any reinforcement from the SAA.

The Al-Mayadeen report is yet to be confirmed by any Syrian or Kurdish official.

The Lebanese TV channel reported that the Damascus government and the YPG had reached an agreement regarding the Afrin area on January 24. However, Kurdish officials quickly denied this report back then.

Over the last two days, the Turkish Army and its proxies from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have expanded their control around several strategic areas west of Afrin. The rapid advance of the Turkish Army may have forced the YPG to reconsider the Damascus government offers to deploy the SAA in Afrin.

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