Russia and Syrian Kurds to conduct joint operations, establish headquarters

(SouthFront) – On December 3, General Eugeny, a representative of the Russian military group in Syria, announced during a meeting with People’s Protection Units (YPG) leader Sîpan Hemo in Salhiya district east of Deir Ezzor city that the Russian military and the YPG will establish a joint operation room in Salhiya to coordinate their military operations against ISIS, according to the Kurdish Hawar News Agency (ANHA).

During the meeting the general also revealed that the Russian Aerospace Forces have conducted 627 combat sorties and destroyed 1,450 targets of ISIS in the Euphrates River Valley supporting YPG military operations there.

The general stressed that Russia is looking to work with the local Arab tribes through the Hmeimim airbase reconciliation Center to restore the normal life in all the villages and towns in the Euphrates River Valley once ISIS is defeated.

Earlier, ANHA reported that Hemo announced that the YPG is ready to establish a joint operation room with its partners (a hint to Russia and US) in order to eliminate the ISIS threat completely.

The Russian efforts to build a better relationship with the YPG is likely aimed at easing the tension between the Kurdish group, and Russia’s allies in Damascus.

Other steps that might take place in the near future could include handing over the oil fields that were captured by the YPG in Deir Ezzor to Russian forces. Earlier, former spokesman of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Tala Silo revealed that the SDF and YPG had already handed over a gas facility and some oil fields east of Deir Ezzor to the Russian Army.