SDF aims to capture Afrin by force, and to reconcile with Damascus — Kurdish Commander

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is preparing to launch a military operation to liberate Afrin from the Turkish forces and its allies, General Commander of the Kurdish forces said in an interview.

“We are preparing and making arrangements in order to liberate Afrin,” Ferhat Abdi Şahin, general commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, told Kurdish Sterk TV.

The SDF supported by the U.S-led coalition has announced full victory over ISIS in Syria last week.

The Turkish forces and its Syrian allies captured Afrin region in early 2018 following a short battle with Kurdish forces, where SDF following ISIS defeat has vowed to liberate Afrin from them.

Şahin added that all SDF groups, including Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), had confirmed their readiness to participate in the liberation.

At the same time, The commander-in-chief of SDF Mazloum Kobani has announced that the Syrian Democratic Forces are part of Syria and they are not planning to separate from it calling to find a permanent solution with the Syrian Government and to reconcile with Damascus.

This comes following the U.S decision to withdraw its forces from Syria and Turkey threatening to launch an offensive against the Kurdish forces in Eastern Euphrates.

Sources indicate that a new alliance between Syrian Kurdish forces and the Syrian Army is possible to form soon to face the Turkish threats.