Russia delivers weapons to YPG in Syria

A Russian military helicopter delivered heavy weapons to the outlawed PKK's Syrian affiliate YPG fighters in Arfin town of the northwestern Syrian province of Aleppo.

Turkey, EU and the U.S. listed the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as a terrorist organization, which has been fighting in Turkey's southeast for 31 years in a conflict that has killed at least 40,000 people.

Russian moves came shortly after the downing of a Russian fighter jet by Turkish military near the Turkey-Syria border after the jet violated Turkey's airspace and ignored repeated warnings from Turkey's pilots.

This was the second time a Russian warplane was downed since the Korean War. Following the incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored Ankara's call for calm, and relations between the two countries have taken a turn for the worse. Moscow imposed economic sanctions against Turkey, announced cancellation of visa-free travel of Turks into Russia, called its citizens to leave Turkey immediately, demanded an apology, banned Russian companies from employing Turkish citizens and deported some Turkish businessmen after detaining them for hours.

Putin announced, however, that he would not cut natural gas supplies to Turkey, as Moscow earned $10 billion from sales of natural gas last year alone.

As Turkey called for a bilateral meeting for discuss the incident and solve the crisis, Ankara has yet to take similar action against Russia though Moscow has billion-dollar projects in Turkey, including a nuclear power plant project.

In another move that will likely exacerbate tensions between them, Russian military helicopters delivered heavy weapons to an YPG camp 7km west from Afrin town of Aleppo province. Turkey has objected to any support to YPG, which it considers a branch of the PKK.

Some high-level fighters from the PKK headquarters in Qandil have come to the camp, which was established in 2013 between Mabadli and Recco villages, to train the fighters.

Russia has also been assisting the YPG in fighting against moderate oppositions in Azez district of Aleppo, near Turkey's border province of Kilis.

YPG has been conducting land operations since November 27, while Russian jets support them with airstrikes as 70 civilians have been killed so far.

Azez, only 14 kilometers from the YPG camp where Russia delivered the weapons, is the starting point of a planned safe-zone for Syrian civilians fleeing the civil war.

YPG attacked 5 civil vehicles including an ambulance near Kastillo corridor, the sole entrance to Aleppo. The attack killed two civilians and injured 13 others.