Russia swooped in and united the Kurds and Assad, while Washington and Ankara were busy squabbling over who should control Manbij. It was a brilliant move, but one that didn't materialize out of thin air. Russia has always been interested in uniting Kurdish YPG forces and Assad in order to push Turkey and its "moderate" rebels out of northern Syria.
Here's what we reported (via Al Jazeera) back in November, 2015:
Losing control of the northern countryside of Aleppo would be a setback for the opposition. Turkey, too, would lose influence. But Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be eyeing an even bigger victory. He called on the Assad government and the political wing of the YPG to unite. This has still not happened - at least not officially. But Syrian Kurdish officials have said they are ready to work with anyone fighting ISIL, and anyone who works for a united, secular and democratic Syria. Such an alliance would change the battlefield and the balance of power on the ground.It's a simple concept, really: Russia understand that anyone who isn't a terrorist would happily unite with their political foes to preserve a secular Syria. And now that the Russia flag is flying proudly alongside the emblem of the Kurdish MMC, it seems that Erdogan's dream of creating an Islamic caliphate in Syria has gone up in smoke: We've reached the end game.
Comment: Finesse. Russia has orchestrated brilliant maneuvers, logistically and diplomatically, keeping in mind who the players really are and their ulterior motives behind involvements in the Syrian crisis. Will this development hold and truly bring about an end to this horrible and unnecessary war?