Russian forces withdrew April 13 from two military bases in the town of Tal Rifaat in the northern countryside of Aleppo, namely the main base of Tal Rifaat on the Gaziantep international road and the Kashtar base near the town of Deir Jamal in northern Aleppo.

The Kashtar base is important for the Russians and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as it is adjacent to the frontlines with the Turkish army and its allied Syrian National Army (SNA) affiliated with the Free Syrian Army.

The area in Tal Rifaat is under the control of the SDF, and on the borders of the area some parts fall under the control of the Syrian government. On the other side of the area’s border lie the areas controlled by the Turkish-backed opposition. 

In the SDF-controlled areas, there are a number of Russian bases set up to prevent the advances of Turkish forces. The Russian bases in the Tal Rifaat area serve the same purpose as the Russian bases located in Ras al-Ain in northeastern Syria, which also seek to preserve calm and prevent the advances of Turkish forces to those areas.