The footage, shared by the Directorate 4 Telegram channel, allegedly shows parts of the Syrian National Defense Forces moving into the south-west of the Syrian district of Afrin amid the ongoing Turkish military operation, dubbed Olive Branch, in the area.
READ MORE: What We Know About Syrian Army's Deployment in Afrin Despite Turkish Warning
On February 20 and 21, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Syrian forces pulled into the area of Afrin to fend off Turkey's military offensive on the city and fight the Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia).
Similar reports have been coming from the Arabic Al Masdar news outlet, which stated that the units of the National Defense Forces entered the region of Afrin and joined the Kurdish militants in Afrin, urging Syrians for unity against what they called "all against foreign aggressors."
Olive Branch Operation
When Turkey started its military operation in Syria's Kurdish-dominated city of Afrin on January 20, Damascus resolutely condemned the operation as a violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Turkey launched its offensive in Afrin to protect the country's border, responding to reports that the United States planned to create a 30,000-strong border force, comprised of the Kurdish Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance dominated by the YPG allegedly associated with the PKK, banned in Turkey.
However, later the US side dismissed the reports, calling them 'misunderstanding', reaching an agreement with Ankara to create working groups to address the situation in Afrin.
