Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he asked for Russia's help with a ground invasion of northern Syria.
Ankara requested Russian President Vladimir Putin's support in “making mutual decisions and maybe acting to take steps together” in the north, he said on Tuesday.
Russia, a staunch ally of Damascus, also has friendly relations with Ankara and has already urged Mr Erdogan not to invade.
Turkey launched new aerial attacks on the north-east last month after blaming the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) for an Istanbul bombing which killed six people, including two children.
Ankara claims the SDF is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK and is a threat to Turkey's national security, which the SDF denies.
On Sunday, Mr Erdogan called on Mr Putin to discuss creating a “buffer zone” in the north and said it could play a role in “clearing” Kurdish militants from the area, criticising Moscow for not adhering to a 2019 agreement to do so.
Mr Erdogan said the bombings were “just the beginning” and Ankara would put troops on the ground as soon as possible.
It has launched three operations against the Kurds in northern Syria since 2016 and seized control of a swathe of the north-east in a 2019 operation which displaced 300,000 people.
Turkey and its Syrian proxies also control Afrin, near Aleppo.
The head of Russia's armed forces in Syria met with Kurdish counterparts in November, where the SDF urged Moscow to take action to avoid a ground incursion.
Moscow's peace negotiations envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, told state-run TASS that Russia was “doing everything possible” to avoid further violence in the area.
The US and Germany have also warned Turkey against a ground invasion.
Also on Tuesday, the US confirmed it has fully resumed patrols with the Kurdish-led forces in north-east Syria after Turkish aerial assaults halted operations last month.
The Pentagon said it has fully restarted patrols with the SDF, a close ally in the fight against ISIS. It works closely with the international coalition to oust remnants of the terror group, which are still present in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.
The SDF stopped all counter-terror operations in late November after a week of relentless Turkish attacks. It accused Turkey of bombing a camp holding thousands of ISIS-linked families, allowing some to escape.
SDF officials previously confirmed joint patrols and training drills had resumed with coalition and international partners.
Turkish bombing has killed several senior SDF commanders and US-trained forces, a former coalition spokesman told The National at the time.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
