According to pro-government sources, Syrian government forces, mostly members of the National Defense Forces (NDF), have deployed in the villages of Bashmra, Zoq al-Kabir, Buurj al-Qas. Miyasa, Aqiba and Ziyara as well as the nearby high points south of the city of Afrin. The deployment of government troops is aimed at preventing furteer advances by the Turkish Army and its proxies in the area.
Turkish forces captured the city of Afrin from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) on March 18. Since then, Turkish forces have made a series of limited advances south of the city expanding a buffer zone between the Turkish-occupied area and the government-held countryside of Aleppo city.
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