Russia Strives to Mediate a Dialogue Between Turkey and Syria - Journalist

While Turkish forces continue to hammer the Kurdish militias entrenched in Syria’s northwest, Moscow is working towards a diplomatic solution to the problem by attempting to facilitate talks between Ankara and Damascus, a Turkish journalist reveals.

Elements of pro-Damascus militia forces recently moved into Afrin in northern Syria amid Turkey's ongoing military operation in the region, raising concerns about how Turkish and Syrian forces might interact with each other if they come in contact.

Bora Bayraktar, Turkish journalist and Middle Eastern affairs expert, told Sputnik Turkiye that it remains to be seen whether Syrian army forces will enter the district as well, and that there are clearly attempts being made to put an end to the clashes in the region as the resistance mounted by Kurdish forces gradually crumbles.

"The Syrian authorities are concerned about Turkish forces advancing on the city of Afrin from several flanks. If the Turkish military reaches Afrin and links up these flanks, it would allow the Syrian opposition to continue its operations in Syria," Bayraktar said.

At the same time, he pointed out that Russia seeks to act as a mediator and to persuade Turkey to engage in a dialogue with the Syrian government.

"The events related to the situation in Afrin point at Russia’s desire to facilitate talks between Turkey and Syria. Russia wants to put an end to the enmity between them, because if Ankara and Damascus manage to normalize their bilateral relations, the operation in Afrin will take a new turn," the journalist explained.

READ MORE: Pro-Turkish Forces Seize Part of Syrian Territories in Afrin — Source

Turkey began its military campaign against the Kurdish militias in Afrin on January 20 of this year. Codenamed Olive Branch, the goal of the operation is to strike a blow against the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara regards as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which was branded as a terrorist organization by Turkey.