Syria: An Assault on Afrin Approaches

The Turkish government and its forces are moving ever closer to an apparently imminent attack on Kurds in the Afrin region of northwest Syria. On Jan. 19, the Turkish government announced that Russian forces were making their way out of the region as Turkish troops and their rebel allies make the final preparations for an assault. Though the Kurdish forces in Afrin reportedly attempted to strike a last-ditch deal with the Syrian government to share control of the city, it appears that their proposal was rejected. Artillery fire on the region that began last week has increased, and the final convoys of rebel fighters aligned with Turkey have arrived. As the attack approaches, Turkey's actions demonstrate its determination to deny Kurdish forces a foothold in Syria....