Syrian Kurds

Syrian Kurds have reached an agreement with the Syrian governmental army to enter the city of Afrin and help repel the Turkish offensive in the region, the BBC reported.

US military are planning to hand over to Syrian Kurds 20,000 units of small arms, grenade launchers, and munitions for ammunition. This was reported by the Anatolian Agency, citing a Pentagon document.

Russia's Defense Ministry has denied reports that Moscow is building a military base in Afrin, but Ankara is not convinced by Russia's comments on the matter, even as it has shied away from publicly responding to Moscow over its developing alliance with Syrian Kurds.

A U.S.-backed alliance of Syrian Kurds and Arab rebel groups, supported by U.S. coalition planes, captured a dam on Dec. 26 from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), cutting one of its main supply routes across the Euphrates, an alliance spokesman said.