Dozens of residents of in Malikiya countryside, northeastern Syria, protested to prevent Russian forces from advancing near their town and forced the troops to withdraw as US forces intervened and surrounded the area.
The incident, which aimed at preventing Russians from setting a military post in the area on the borders with Turkey, has provoked the Russian-US competition to establish military presence in areas east of the Euphrates.
The Russian Defense Ministry and Hmeimim base avoided commenting on the development on Monday.
According to activists, villagers of Ain Diwar halted the advancement of a Russian patrol, consisting of 11 military vehicles and prevented them from reaching an area in which a military post was supposed to be established.
Sources explained that the patrol was supported by helicopters, which flew at low altitude, to scare the protesters who insisted on their demands and called on the patrol's commander to leave the area immediately.
The commander tried to speak with the civilians and inform them that his troops will remain for two weeks only to train regime forces, field sources noted, affirming that his attempts had failed to convince the residents.
The sources said that the US forces interfered and closed all roads on the Russian patrol, noting that a US helicopter flew and chased two Russian helicopters.
US forces had repeatedly intercepted Russian attempted patrols along the international road, starting from their bases in or near the cities of Qamishli, Tel Tamr and Kobane.
In light of its understandings with Turkey, Moscow has reinforced its military presence around areas under the control of Syrian Democratic Forces near the Turkish borders, but the US forces prevent it from moving freely.
The Russian withdrawal was met with the reinforcement of US troops in the region.
Reports said that a US patrol consisting of Bradley and other military vehicles stationed in the village of Gir Ziro village met with the residents and remained there for some time before returning to its base in Rmelan.
Press sources also pointed out that the incident revealed the resentment of residents following recent Russian statements, in which it warned against Washington’s actions in the eastern Euphrates region.
“US actions in the Euphrates region create an explosive situation around the Kurdish problem, the consequences for the region can be catastrophic,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had recently stated.
“The situation on the Eastern Bank of the Euphrates is a cause for concern, where the US military illegally stationed there clearly encourages the separatist tendencies of the Kurds,” he stressed.
Americans are inciting the Kurds against the Syrian government, hindering the Kurds’ natural desire to start a dialogue with Damascus, Lavrov added.
