BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:20 P.M.) – A Russian military convoy was spotted patrolling the area around the key town of Tal Rifa’at, which is jointly controlled by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG).

According to an army source in the Aleppo Governorate, the Russian Armed Forces have recently increased their presence in Tal Rifa’at after the Turkish military threatened to launch a new operation in northern Syria.

The source said Russia is committed to not giving up this part of northern Aleppo or any part of Syria that is controlled by the Syrian Arab Army and their allies.

This also bodes well for the YPG forces in the area because it will prevent the Turkish military from launching a wide-scale assault in this part of the Aleppo Governorate.

While the Syrian Arab Army and YPG are not engaged in any hostilities against one another, the former is hoping to eventually take over this part of the Aleppo Governorate after a political settlement is reached between the government and Syrian Democratic Council (SDC).