The FSA is going focus on the fight against the Kurdish People's Protection Units as the IS is going to be defeated, the commander highlighted.

"There are clashes between the FSA and the YPG in Manbij from time to time," Osman said. "There are a lot of Arab and Turkmen villages in the area under the YPG control. We must liberate these territories and clean [the YPG] out from Afrin."

Osman pointed out that the FSA is preparing to launch the Afrin operation together with Turkey.

According to information received by Sputnik from sources in the FSA, Turkey, together with the FSA units, which previously took part in the Euphrates Shield operation, continues preparing for an offensive on Afrin controlled by the YPG.

Detachments of Turkish Special Forces have also been sent to the region. In addition, field hospitals have been deployed at the Syrian-Turkish border, as well as near Afrin and Idlib.

Ankara considers the Kurdish self-protection units YPG and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) as affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey.

Earlier, in November, while the Turks were busy making preparations for the advance, Foza Yusuf, executive council co-chair of the self-proclaimed Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (DFNS), and Nuri Mahmud, of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), told Sputnik that the Kurdish self-defense units were determined to defend the city from Turkish "aggression."

It was reported that the YPG and SDF had been amassing heavy weapons and further reinforcements to protect Afrin from Turkey and its allies.

"In Afrin we will stand on the defensive and oppose invaders like we did in Kobani," Yusuf stressed.

Reporter’s code: 50101