WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th November, 2019) Forces backing Syrian President Bashar Assad in Syria are unlikely to focus their efforts on fighting the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia), Operation Inherent Resolve Lead Inspector General's office said in a report on Tuesday.
"The DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency] reported to the [Pentagon Office of Inspector General] that other forces that have moved in northeastern Syria are unlikely to prioritize fighting ISIS [Islamic State]," the report said on Tuesday. "The DIA said that pro-regime forces had not conducted operations against ISIS in the areas that they had moved into, and that these forces probably prioritize limiting Turkey's incursion into Syria over counterterrorism operations against ISIS."
The report also said that Syrian government forces are unlikely to carry out significant operations against the Islamic State, but will likely prioritize reclaiming territory captured by Turkey.
In addition, the DIA reported that Turkish-backed militias also had not carried out any counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State since the launch of the Turkish operation in northeast Syria in early October.
On October 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northeast Syria to clear the border area of terrorists and the terrorist-designated Kurdish militia as well as to create a safe zone for the relocation of Syrian refugees who are currently residing in Turkey.
On October 17, the United States and Turkey agreed to a 120-hour ceasefire in the area to allow the withdrawal of the Kurdish fighters.
Turkey and Russia signed a memorandum on October 22 in Sochi stipulating that within 150 hours Kurdish militia would be withdrawn to a distance of 30 kilometers from Syria's� border with Turkey to the west and east of the operation zone.
