MESOPOTAMIA NEWS TOP OF THE AGENDA – PKK Kurds Appeal to Syrian Government in Manbij
28 Dec 2018 – Syrian government forces entered the northwestern city of Manbij for the first time in years after U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters called on Damascus (Reuters) to help them defend the city from a potential Turkish offensive, the army said Friday.
It was not yet clear whether U.S. personnel, who have been patrolling the city, remained in the area (Guardian). An opposition group said the Syrian army made the announcement while its forces were still miles from Manbij (CNN). Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he is seeking “concrete explanations” from the United States on its planned withdrawal of forces in Syria (AP) and that it appears Washington wants to “shift the responsibility” to other parties in the region. More via www.mesop.de