On October 26, Syrian opposition activists confirmed that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had handed over Ming Airbase in the northern Aleppo countryside to the Russian military.
Back on October 20, opposition sources published a video of the Russian flag over the airbase and reported that Russian helicopter landed inside it. However, opposition activists didn’t confirm back than that the SDF handed over the airbase to the Russians and withdrew from it.
Meanwhile, Syrian pro-government activists claimed that Russia, Turkey and the Syrian government are planning to reopen the road between Aleppo city and the Bab al-Salamah border crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border.
A week ago, the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) group al-Shamiyah Front handed over Bab al-Salamah border crossing to the Turkish-sponsored Syrian Internal Government. This supports the claims about a Russian plan to reopen the road.
Moreover, pro-government activists claimed that the FSA and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) will withdraw from several areas north of Aleppo city including Kafr Hamrah and Dahrat Abd Rabu villages, Hayyan town and al-Zahar district.
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According to the rumors, the road towards Bab al-Salamah will be protected by the Russian military. If these claims are true, the deal will allow civilians to move freely between the FSA, SDF and SAA areas in the norther Aleppo countryside.
The deal will also allow pro-government civilians to travel directly to Turkey again, and will allow pro-opposition civilians to return to their towns and villages that was captured by the SDF back on 2015.
