Pro-government Forces Enter Afrin

Syrian state television released images of pro-government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad entering the Afrin region, following an agreement between Kurdish forces and Damascus to counter Turkey's aggression. The images, broadcast on Tuesday, February 20, show pro-Assad forces in camouflage uniforms, carrying the Syrian flag and their weapons, chanting 'One Syria' as they pass by a checkpoint manned by Kurdish security forces. One soldier stated in an interview with Syrian television, 'We have come to tell our people in Afrin that we are one.' The Assad government insists that Syria must remain a unified country and that the internal divisions resulting from the war should be dismantled. Meanwhile, Syrian Kurds had spoken about their plan for establishing a federal system in their controlled areas in northern Syria about two years ago, which Damascus considers illegal. On Tuesday, the state news agency SANA reported that Turkish forces were bombing border areas and routes that pro-Assad forces used to reach Afrin. The Turkish army has been conducting an operation known as 'Olive Branch' in the Afrin border area of Aleppo province since January 19, but has not yet succeeded in capturing the city. In this context, reports emerged on Saturday of an agreement between Damascus and Syrian Kurds to send government forces to Afrin to prevent the city's fall. The Syrian government and the People's Protection Units largely avoided direct conflict during the Syrian civil war, but they have completely different views on Syria's future. Turkey, which considers the People's Protection Units a terrorist group, has threatened the Syrian government not to assist the Kurds and warned that it would fight against forces sent from Damascus.