MANBIJ, Syria — Russian forces will defend the contested majority-Arab town of Manbij in northern Syria against Turkey if and when US forces withdraw under the terms of a verbal agreement struck two days ago between Russian commanders and the Manbij Military Council, Al-Monitor has learned.

Speaking exclusively to Al-Monitor at the military council’s headquarters in northern Syria on March 11, the body’s co-chair Mohamed Mustafa said, “Russian commanders told us exactly two days ago that the minute the Americans leave they will deploy their forces along the demarcation line [separating Manbij and the Turkish-controlled Euphrates Shield zone]. They said, 'If the US leaves tomorrow, we will take their place.'”

Mustafa, who goes by the nom de guerre Abu Adel, said the switch would be easy because there was only a half a kilometer separating American forces deployed outside Manbij and the Russians who are in Arima together with the Syrian Arab Army. Al-Monitor was able to verify that claim. It took five minutes to drive from the American position to the regime's and Russian bases lying along the same road, all easily identified by their respective flags.

Military council spokesman Sherwan Darwish, who was present at the interview, said, “We prefer the Americans. We want them to stay and we told the Russians there was no question of them coming until the Americans leave.”