TEHRAN (FNA)- Former Spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Talal Salou, who defected the SDF and moved to Turkey in mid-November, disclosed on Saturday that thousands of ISIL fighters left Raqqa city in Northeastern Syria in a US-approved secret agreement.

The high-level defector from the Kurdish-led forces that captured the Syrian city of Raqqa from ISIL said thousands of ISIL fighters – many more than first reported – left under a secret, US-approved deal, adding that the SDF arranged to bus all remaining ISIL militants out of Raqqa even though it said at the time it was battling foreign terrorists in the city.

He declared that a US official in the international coalition against ISIL approved the deal at a meeting with an SDF commander.

He stressed that the number of fighters who were allowed to go was far higher and the account of a last-ditch battle was a fiction designed to keep journalists away while the evacuation took place.

“Agreement was reached for the terrorists to leave, about 4,000 people, including their families,” Salou said, adding that all but about 500 were fighters.

He announced that they headed East to ISIL-controlled areas around Deir Ezzur, where the Syrian army and forces supporting President Bashar al-Assad were gaining ground.

For three days the SDF banned people from going to Raqqa, saying fighting was in progress to deal with militants who had not given themselves up.

“It was all theater,” Salou added.

“The announcement was cover for those who left for Deir Ezzur”, he said, adding that the agreement was endorsed by the United States which wanted a swift end to the Raqqa battle so the SDF could move on towards Deir Ezzur.

The defected spokesman of the Kurdish fighters was transferred from Syria to Turkey mid-November by the latter’s spy agency.

According to reports, the Turkish intelligence services played a role in Salou’s defection and took care of him upon arrival in regions controlled by the Ankara-backed Euphrates Shield Operation forces.

Salou is a Turkmen from the town of al-Ra’ei in Northern Aleppo who was the commander of Turkey-backed Liwa al-Salajeqah terrorist group four years ago.

Salou defected the SDF and moved to the town of Jarabulus in Northeastern Aleppo, while his move was done in coordination with the FSA in the region.

More US-Backed SDF Fighters, Commanders Surrender to Syrian Army in Deir Ezzur

TEHRAN (FNA)- Senior Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Yaser al-Dahla and his fighters have surrendered to the Syrian Army troops in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur, militant-affiliated websites confirmed on Saturday.

The websites reported that Commander of the SDF-affiliated Tajamo Shebab al-Bakara Yaser al-Dahla has defected the SDF in Deir Ezzur, adding that al-Dahla and all of his fighters handed over their weapons to the army men in the village of Tayebeh Shamiyeh in Eastern Deir Ezzur and surrendered.

The websites also reported earlier today that Abu al-Majd al-Rafi’ei, one of the senior field commanders of the SDF, along with his fighters surrendered to the Syrian Army troops in Western Deir Ezzur.

The websites said that Abu al-Majd al-Rafi’ei and his forces laid down arms and turned in to the army men in the Western countryside of Deir Ezzur.

The websites added that al-Rafi’ei was previously one of the field commanders of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Northern Syria.

Al-Rafi’ei defected the FSA a year ago and joined the SDF, the websites added.

Russian MoD: US air force in Syria prevents strikes against Daesh positions

9 December، 2017

Moscow, SANA

Russian Defense Ministry said that the illegal US-led coalition prevented, during the past period, Russian aircrafts from carrying out strikes against positions for Daesh (ISIS) terrorist organization in the eastern area.

“The majority of near-misses between US and Russian planes in Syria and in the area of the Euphrates were connected with Washington’s attempts to hinder Daesh’s defeat,” Major-General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesperson said on Saturday.

“An American F-22 fighter actively prevented the Russian pair of Su-25 attack aircraft from carrying out a combat mission to destroy the Daesh stronghold in the suburbs of the city of al-Mayadin in the airspace over the western bank of the Euphrates River on November 23. The F-22 aircraft fired off heat flares and released brake shields with permanent maneuvering, imitating an air battle,” Konashenkov said.