Kurdish Commander Urges Damascus to Help Defend Afrin

The Syrian army should take the mainresponsibility for the defense of Afrin against a Turkishinvasion, commander of Syrian Kurdish YPG Sipan Hemo told Al-Mayadeen TVon Monday, urged Damascus to "immediately send in reinforcementsto the border region with Turkey."

"There is a great deal of coordinationbetween YPG fighters and the Syrian military," Hemo said.

According to Al-Hayat newspaper, SyrianArmy checkpoints deployed west of Aleppo are letting through food,fuel and staples for the 1.5 million residents of Afrin.