Aleppo, Jan. 16 (SANA) The Ministry of Defense’s Media and Communications Department announced the defection of six members of the SDF on the Deir Hafer front, east of Aleppo.
The announcement followed a call by the Syrian Arab Army’s Operations Command urging members of the SDF to leave the organization. The defectors were immediately secured by Syrian Arab Army units.
The Ministry said: “We are receiving numerous requests for defection in the designated area, and we are working to ensure their safety.”
In a related development, Military Security personnel apprehended an SDF intelligence operative as he attempted to leave Deir Hafer with civilians, allegedly planning terrorist attacks.
Earlier, the Syrian Arab Army’s Operations Command had urged all Syrian members of the SDF organization, both Kurdish and Arab, to defect and report to the nearest Syrian Arab Army checkpoint.
On January 13, the Operations Command declared Deir Hafer, Maskana, and surrounding areas in the Aleppo countryside a closed military zone, warning civilians to stay away for their safety.
The declaration came amid reports of SDF organization, PKK terrorist militias, and remnants of the ousted regime amassing in the area, which has also been used as a launch site for Iranian suicide drones targeting Aleppo.
