A Russian military and security delegation met with the leadership of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Hasakah governorate on 7 June, as the Kurdish militia has reaffirmed its willingness to cooperate with Damascus against Turkish aggressions on northern Syria.

According to media correspondents, the delegation arrived in Qamishli Airport on a private military jet and met with SDF officials at the Live Stone resort, west of Hasakah.

The meeting coincides with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Ankara, where he reportedly condemned the Turkish operation.

“The meeting … confirmed the readiness of the SDF to coordinate with the forces of the Damascus government in thwarting Turkish attacks and protecting Syrian territory,” an SDF statement read.

The statement went on to say that the General Command had been briefed on Turkish attacks in Tal Tamir, Zarkan, Manbij, and Al-Shahbaa, and that military commanders in those areas had outlined the negative impact of Turkey’s military actions on the lives of civilians.

The statement went on to say that the Syrian Democratic Forces have prioritized de-escalation and compliance with agreements.

The Commander in Chief of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, warned via Twitter on 2 June that a Turkish escalation would also affect the group’s operations against ISIS.

We are concerned about new Turkish threats which pose high risk on northern Syria. Any offensive will divide Syrians, create a new humanitarian crisis, and displace original inhabitants and IDPs. New escalation will also negatively affect our campaign against ISIS.

— Mazloum Abdî مظلوم عبدي (@MazloumAbdi) June 2, 2022

On 5 June, the SDF said that it would welcome coordination with Damascus for fending off the incursion of Turkish forces into the country.

Abdi expressed his willingness to coordinate with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in defending Syrian territory, saying that “an essential act by the Syrian army in defending Syrian territory would be to use air defense systems against Turkish planes.”

The head of the SDF noted that they do not require the presence of additional SAA forces, and have only requested air defense.

“Our priority is defending Syrian territory, and no one should think about taking advantage of that situation to make gains on the ground,” he said.

The SDF currently assists the US armed forces in illegally occupying Syrian soil, which includes the theft of Syria’s oil resources.

The current Turkish military operation in northern Syria, which was announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 23 May, aims to establish a 30 kilometer ‘safe zone’ along Turkey’s southern borders, as well to target Kurdish militias operating in northern Syria.

Damascus has condemned the idea of a safe zone operation, saying Turkey’s “main objective is colonialism.”