The predominately Kurdish “People’s Protection Units” (YPG) have made it known to all parties involved in the Syrian Conflict that the Afrin Canton inside the Aleppo Governorate’s northern countryside is off limits.

More importantly, the YPG command has endeavored to created an imperative buffer-zone around the Afrin Canton in order to keep the Islamist rebels and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) from threatening their lands in northern Aleppo.

Over the last 72 hours, the YPG has taken advantage of the crumbling Islamist defenses in northern Aleppo, seizing a number of villages like Ziyarah near the towns of Al-Zahra’a and Nubl.

On Saturday afternoon, the YPG advanced towards the integral Mennagh Military Airport in the rebel heartland, capturing the village of Al-‘Alqamiyah after a violent battle with the Islamist rebels of Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Shamiyah (Levantine Front).

With Al-‘Alqamiyah under their control, the YPG forces are in position to strike the Mennagh Military Airport; thus, threatening the remaining Islamist defenses in northern Aleppo.

To combat the YPG and SAA in northern Aleppo, the Islamist rebels have formed a coalition called “Jaysh Halab”, which consists of Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Jabhat Al-Shamiyah, Jaysh Al-Islam, and Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen.