Tell Rifaat, the “key” to Afrin, one of the main bases of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist organization, where Turkey prepares to launch an operation, was handed over to the Syrian regime by the PKK with the efforts of Russia. Russia then declared Tell Rifaat as a “de-escalation zone”. Tell Rifaat is a large district in the north of Syria, its population being comprised mostly of Arabs. Turkey’s possible Afrin operation was expected to advance to the center of Afrin, starting from Tell Rifaat. A major part of the PKK terrorists in Tell Rifaat withdrew to Afrin, after leaving the district. The remaining PKK terrorists are expected to gradually abandon Tell Rifaat. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.
