Syrian Kurds say Russia to build base in Afrin

In agreement with Kurds, Russia to operate military base in Afrin and train YPG fighters in 'anti-terror' combat.

Russia is setting up a military base in northwestern Syria in agreement with the Syrian-Kurdish YPG armed group that controls the area and will train fighters, a YPG spokesman said on Monday. 

The agreement with Russia was concluded on Sunday and Russian troops have already arrived at the village of Kafr Jina, in the northwestern region of Afrin, with troop carriers and armoured vehicles, YPG spokesman Redur Xelil told Reuters news agency.

"The Russian presence ... comes in agreement between [the YPG] and the Russian forces operating in Syria in the framework of cooperation against terrorism and to help train our forces on modern warfare and to build a direct point of contact with Russian forces," Xelil said in a statement.

"It is the first [agreement] of its kind," he added.

However, in a statement put out shortly after news broke of the alleged deal, the Russian Defence Ministry said there were "no plans" to create additional military bases in Syrian territory, but added that a section of its "reconciliation centre" was located in Aleppo province close to Afrin for the prevention of ceasefire violations.