“The communications (between the SDF and Russia) are focused on stopping the attacks by the armed groups, and we are awaiting a transparent and practical response from the Russian side to stop the violations committed by the Turkish-backed armed groups,” SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday.

Ain Issa, located on the strategic M4 highway that connects northeast Syria, is held by SDF, a Kurdish-led alliance of militias which handed the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group a territorial defeat with U.S. military support.

The town and nearby areas have been bombarded by Turkey-backed fighters since early December. Kurdistan 24 reported earlier that the attacks have led to an agreement between the SDF and Russia for Russian and pro-Syrian government forces to establish military positions in the area to deter further violence.

Gabriel confirmed that there was “an agreement between the SDF and Russia-Syria concerning the observation points in north of Ain Issa”. However, the spokesperson rejected claims that the SDF handed control of the town over to the Syrian government.

“There are no changes to the control of Ain Issa. We are committed to previous agreements, and there are no new understandings. If there are to be new deals, they will be officially announced,” Gabriel said.

A member of the Central Committee of the Syrian Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP.S) told KurdPress in an interview on Saturday that: "Preserving the achievements of the self-government is a fundamental issue for us (Syrian Kurds) and the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) will not hand over Ain Issa or other regions to the central government."

"The attacks on Ain Issa are part of an agreement between Russia and Turkey," Galu Issa, the member of the Central Committee of the Syrian Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP.S), told KurdPress.

He continued: "Russia wants to put pressure on Syrian Kurdistan through Turkey to make the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to hand over Ain Issa and other areas to the Syrian central government."

"Maintaining the achievements of the self-government system (in Syrian Kurdistan or Rojava) is a fundamental issue for us and the SDF will not hand over Ain Issa or other areas to the central government," the official added in the interview with KurdPress.

"Russia and Turkey want to take action and capture Ain Issa before the new US president takes office," Mr. Issa said, referring to the parties' intention to attack the Syrian Kurdish city.

"Earlier, an agreement was reached between the United States and Turkey, as well as between Russia and Turkey, so that the Turks would not cross the Aleppo-M4 international road, but what is clear is that Turkey attacked in Russian silence and the green light of the Russians," he said.

He noted that in the days leading up to the attack, Turkish-backed extremist groups had been unable to take a single step and that a number of them were being killed every day. The Syrian Democratic Forces did not allow them to advance.

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