Damascus has permitted Kurdish forces to send reinforcements to its isolated Afrin canton through Aleppo province, according to media with ties to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Citing military sources, Al-Masdar News reported that YPG had sent hundreds of reinforcements over the last 48 hours…. Turkey has claimed the Russia has begun withdrawing its forces from the Afrin area in preparation for Turkey’s military operation. Anadolu Agency reported that Russian security forces in Afrin city started to leave the area on Friday.

The Observatory, however, contradicted the reports, stating “Russian forces have not withdrawn yet from Afrin area.”

Russia has not issued any statements on the matter, at time of publication.