Omer Koparan
04 June 2022•Update: 04 June 2022
AZAZ / QAMISHLI, Syria
The Russian forces conducted aerial reconnaissance around Tal Rifat city and the surrounding areas in northern Syria to consolidate their position, sources said.
The Russian forces are also trying to establish a defense system at Qamishli Airport in the northern al-Hasakah province, which is largely under the YPG/PKK occupation.
Russian military helicopters have been conducting intermittent reconnaissance flights over the YPG/PKK-occupied Tal Rifat since the beginning of the week.
The Russian forces are also trying to prevent Iran-backed terrorist groups from increasing their influence in Tal Rifat.
Moreover, the Russian authorities did not allow Iranians who wanted to attend a meeting with regime officials and the YPG/PKK ringleaders on May 30.
On the same day, with Grad missile launchers, Russian soldiers did not let Iranian-backed terrorist groups enter Tal Rifat from Nubl and al-Zahraa towns, located southwest of Tal Rifat and are under the control of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
When the Iran-backed groups attempted to enter the Menagh military airbase on May 31, the Russian forces warned the terrorist group and the regime not to allow the groups to enter the area.
Russian forces are normally deployed in a place known as Faisal Mill, 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) west of Tal Rifat.
A small number of Russian military units are stationed at the airport that remains under the control of the Assad regime in the town of Qamishli, which is largely under the occupation of YPG/PKK in the al-Hasakah province.
The Russian army, which landed at the airport with a military cargo plane on Friday, brought the Pantsir-S1 short and medium-range air defense system.
On the other hand, there is an increase in the number of Russian soldiers in Ayn Isa, Tal Tamr, Manbij, Ayn al-Arab, and the Qamishli regions of Syria.
Russia, which rented Khmeimim Air Base from Syria, also uses the naval facility at Tarsus, a Syrian city on the Mediterranean coast.
