ALEPPO, Syria — Riyadh al-Khalaf, chairman of the Tell Abyad Military Council affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), denied in a statement to Hawar News Agency ANHA, reaching an agreement with Russia regarding Ain Issa. “All the news about reaching an agreement with the Russian forces are baseless; this is false and the control map is still intact following six weeks of Turkish military escalation,” Khalaf said Dec. 28.

His statement came against the backdrop of the Russian military police deployment in Ain Issa, which was considered as evidence of an agreement over the SDF handing over the area to Russia and the Syrian regime.

Omar Rahmon, member of the National Reconciliation Center that is affiliated with the Syrian regime and Russia, made claims promoting an agreement between the two sides. “Ain Issa will return to the homeland thanks to the Syrian and Russian military boots. This is not a national awakening by the SDF, but rather an eagerness for protection that it was unable to reach through the United States, and in recognition of its weakness in front of Turkey and inability to protect it,” Rahmon tweeted Dec. 27.

Speaking to Sputnik, Rahmon said, “The agreement was concluded Dec. 27 in the town of Ain Issa, during which the SDF pledged to hand over the town to the Russian side and the Syrian army, after several days of negotiations. The Kurds told the Russian side that they are ready to withdraw from Ain Issa completely.”